Thought

King Darius could recognize evil when it affected him. Darius didn’t want to lose his number-one advisor because of the jealousy of the satraps. He could see the difference in Daniel’s faithful life. The king even prayed right before Daniel was thrown to the lions, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” (Daniel 6:16). He could see the truth and greatness of God, even though he hadn’t begun to follow Him. If we are faithful, others will see the difference God makes in our lives and consider that God just might be real.

Word

Daniel 6:26 NIV

“I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.
“For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end.

Question

What makes lions so dangerous?

An adult lion can open its mouth a foot wide. That’s large enough to fit a human head, and a lion’s teeth and jaws are strong enough to crack a human skull. Imagine what didn’t happen to Daniel when he was thrown into the lions’ den …

Challenge

Write the word LION on a piece of paper with the letters in a vertical column as shown below. Use this word as an acrostic, with each letter reminding you of a reason we can trust God. Tape the paper to your bathroom mirror and read it every day.

L = He shut the mouths of lions.
I = He rescues the innocent in His sight.
O = He is the One and only God.
N = His kingdom will never end.

Prayer

Lord, help me to trust You every day as Daniel did. Even if others want to stop me, I want to continue to be faithful to You. Amen.