Howard David Johnson
Do you pray to God every night? Do you turn to God in time of need? Do you let God handle the issues that seem to be breaking you down? Do you remain faithful to God at all times through all the worries, problems, and distractions placed in your way?Daniel, from the story “Daniel in the Lion’s Den” (Daniel 5.6) is a perfect example of remaining faithful to God. King Darius, the new king, needed help and was going to appoint Daniel over the entire kingdom. The presidents and the satraps did not like this idea and tried thinking of things Daniel had done wrong in relation to the kingdom. They could not find anything against Daniel because “he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption could be found in him.” The presidents and the satraps decided to go to Darius and tell him to establish an ordinance that if anyone prays to anyone or anything other than Darius, they must be thrown into a den of lions. Darius agreed to establish the ordinance.
Daniel knew of the new rule and did not let it faze him. He remained faithful to God by praying three times a day. The presidents and satraps found Daniel praying and immediately told Darius what Daniel had been doing. Because Daniel had disobeyed the ordinance, Darius was forced to place him in the lion’s den. Before closing the den the king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you faithfully serve, deliver you!” That night Daniel prayed to God and when Darius came back in the morning to check on him, Daniel told the king, “My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me…”
In this story Daniel stays true to his faith in God. He does not get distracted and continues on praying to God even though he is surrounded by lions. He does not let his worry of being eaten by the lions stop him from praying. He also, does not worry about any other problems in his life. He focuses on one thing and one thing only- God. In this case Daniel lets God handle his worries and his problems and I think that is one thing God may be trying to show us. We can focus on certain tasks and let the other issues we do not have control over be taken care of by God. We need to have faith in God that he will let things take the route he thinks they should take and we can handle all that we can handle- leaving the rest up to Him.
Remaining faithful to God is something I am still struggling with and while I am embarrassed at times to admit to others in the church that I am not going down the same path they may have gone when finding God, I am realizing that no matter what path I take, no matter how many times I pray, and no matter how many times I question God- he is still there when I come back for help. Remaining faithful to God does not mean you must pray three times a day for thirty minutes at a time, it does not mean you have to attend church every Sunday, and it surely does not mean you must become a Pastor at Prince of Peace (even though that’d be pretty cool). Being faithful is unique based on the person you are and the relationship you have with God.
Today Pastor Steve talked about not letting distractions such as our cell phone, emotions, and friends get in the way driving safely on the road. He related the same thing to praying; folding our hands to help us from touching stuff and closing our eyes to stop us from seeing distractions. There are so many distractions that can decrease our concentration on driving just like there are many distractions in life to keep us from praying.
Remaining faithful to God could possibly mean being able to set aside some amount of time in your day from all distractions and just listening or talking to God. It does not have to be a long period of time but spending some amount of time being able to see what God has to say to you and sometimes sharing your feelings with him. I believe that to a certain extent everyone’s definition of being faithful to God is different and I think it is crucial to let yourself feel comfortable in the ways that you decide to remain faithful.
Everyone has their ideas on how to stay in touch with God and for how long, but it does not mean that way is right for you. Remain faithful in a way that makes you feel your connection with God is as strong as it can be and be happy and content that the way you remain faithful to God is right for you.
King Belshazzar made a great festival for a thousand of his lords, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand.
2Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar commanded that they bring in the vessels of gold and silver that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. 3So they brought in the vessels of gold and silver that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
5Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the wall of the royal palace, next to the lampstand. The king was watching the hand as it wrote. 6Then the king's face turned pale, and his thoughts terrified him. His limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together. 7The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners; and the king said to the wise men of Babylon, "Whoever can read this writing and tell me its interpretation shall be clothed in purple, have a chain of gold around his neck, and rank third in the kingdom." 8Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king the interpretation. 9Then King Belshazzar became greatly terrified and his face turned pale, and his lords were perplexed.
10The queen, when she heard the discussion of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall. The queen said, "O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts terrify you or your face grow pale. 11There is a man in your kingdom who is endowed with a spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father he was found to have enlightenment, understanding, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners, 12because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation."
13Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king said to Daniel, "So you are Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? 14I have heard of you that a spirit of the gods is in you, and that enlightenment, understanding, and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and tell me its interpretation, but they were not able to give the interpretation of the matter. 16But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you are able to read the writing and tell me its interpretation, you shall be clothed in purple, have a chain of gold around your neck, and rank third in the kingdom."
17Then Daniel answered in the presence of the king, "Let your gifts be for yourself, or give your rewards to someone else! Nevertheless I will read the writing to the king and let him know the interpretation. 18O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar kingship, greatness, glory, and majesty. 19And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. He killed those he wanted to kill, kept alive those he wanted to keep alive, honored those he wanted to honor, and degraded those he wanted to degrade. 20But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he acted proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and his glory was stripped from him. 21He was driven from human society, and his mind was made like that of an animal. His dwelling was with the wild asses, he was fed grass like oxen, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God has sovereignty over the kingdom of mortals, and sets over it whomever he will. 22And you, Belshazzar his son, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this! 23You have exalted yourself against the LORD of heaven! The vessels of his temple have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them. You have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know; but the God in whose power is your very breath, and to whom belong all your ways, you have not honored.
24So from his presence the hand was sent and this writing was inscribed. 25And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN. 26This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; 27TEKEL, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting; 28PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians."
29Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed in purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made concerning him that he should rank third in the kingdom.
30That very night Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed. 31And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
Daniel 6
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty satraps, stationed throughout the whole kingdom, 2and over them three presidents, including Daniel; to these the satraps gave account, so that the king might suffer no loss. 3Soon Daniel distinguished himself above all the other presidents and satraps because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king planned to appoint him over the whole kingdom. 4So the presidents and the satraps tried to find grounds for complaint against Daniel in connection with the kingdom. But they could find no grounds for complaint or any corruption, because he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption could be found in him. 5The men said, "We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God."
6So the presidents and satraps conspired and came to the king and said to him, "O King Darius, live forever! 7All the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an interdict, that whoever prays to anyone, divine or human, for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into a den of lions. 8Now, O king, establish the interdict and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked." 9Therefore King Darius signed the document and interdict.
10Although Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he continued to go to his house, which had windows in its upper room open toward Jerusalem, and to get down on his knees three times a day to pray to his God and praise him, just as he had done previously. 11The conspirators came and found Daniel praying and seeking mercy before his God. 12Then they approached the king and said concerning the interdict, "O king! Did you not sign an interdict, that anyone who prays to anyone, divine or human, within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be thrown into a den of lions?" The king answered, "The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked." 13Then they responded to the king, "Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the interdict you have signed, but he is saying his prayers three times a day."
14When the king heard the charge, he was very much distressed. He was determined to save Daniel, and until the sun went down he made every effort to rescue him. 15Then the conspirators came to the king and said to him, "Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no interdict or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed."
16Then the king gave the command, and Daniel was brought and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you faithfully serve, deliver you!" 17A stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, so that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. 18Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no food was brought to him, and sleep fled from him.
19Then, at break of day, the king got up and hurried to the den of lions. 20When he came near the den where Daniel was, he cried out anxiously to Daniel, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God whom you faithfully serve been able to deliver you from the lions?" 21Daniel then said to the king, "O king, live forever! 22My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths so that they would not hurt me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no wrong." 23Then the king was exceedingly glad and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24The king gave a command, and those who had accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the den of lions — they, their children, and their wives. Before they reached the bottom of the den the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.
25Then King Darius wrote to all peoples and nations of every language throughout the whole world: "May you have abundant prosperity! 26I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people should tremble and fear before the God of Daniel:
For he is the living God,
enduring forever.
His kingdom shall never be destroyed,
and his dominion has no end.
27He delivers and rescues,
he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth;
for he has saved Daniel
from the power of the lions."
28So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Amen - good and faithful servent.
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