My Thoughts
Arose this morning thinking about Daniel. I kept thinking of the story told to children in Sunday school and Bible study. You know, the one of Daniel in the lions’ den. In case you were absent or absent minded when the tale was recounted, allow me to retell an abridged version.
A long time ago, there was a king. His name was Darius the Mede. He appointed three presidents to oversee his kingdom and one of them was Daniel. Daniel was a very good president, distinguishing himself above all the other presidents and the king was so pleased he planned to set Daniel over the whole kingdom.
As one might easily surmise, this did not please the other presidents, their governors and counselors, and so, they began to seek grounds for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom; but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful.
Finding no grounds or fault, the presidents and governors went to the king and petitioned him to sign an ordinance and enforce an interdict (an authoritative prohibition) that anyone who petitions any god or man for thirty days, except to the king, should be cast into the den of lions. Darius, seeing no obvious difficulty with such an irrevocable decree, innocently signed the document.
Daniel, knowing full well that the document had been signed, nevertheless went to his house, and prayed three times a day, giving thanks before his God, as had ever been his practice. Thus, the trap was sprung, and Daniel was caught disobeying the irrevocable interdict. King Darius was beside himself and tried to find a way to rescue Daniel from his fate, but to no avail, so Daniel was cast into the den of lions.
The next morning, as all good tales must end, Daniel was found very much alive and well among the lions. The king was ecstatic and had Daniel taken up out of the den. “So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of hurt was found upon him, because he had trusted in his God. And the king commanded , and those men who had accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives; and before they reached the bottom of the den the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces” (Daniel 6:24).
“And now,” as Paul Harvey would always say, “you know the rest of the story.” There is much to chew on with this allegory, more than enough parallels to modern political and religious sentiment to give one pause and seriously consider.
I woke up this morning thinking about Daniel. I hope you will do the same tomorrow. Wake up America!
Just my thoughts for a Friday, for what it is worth.
