June 20, 2014 Persisting in Prayer Daniel 6:1-28 Read The other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldnt find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy. So they concluded, Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion. So the administrators and high officers went to the king and said, Long live King Darius! We are all in agreement—we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors—that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions. And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked. So King Darius signed the law. But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. (Daniel 6:4-10) Reflect Daniel stood alone. Although he knew about the law against praying to anyone except the king, he continued to pray three times a day to the Lord as he always had. Daniel had a disciplined prayer life. Daniel made no attempt to hide his daily prayer routine from his enemies in government, even though he knew he would be disobeying the new law. Hiding his daily prayers would have been futile, because surely the conspirators would have caught him violating the law in some other way during the month. Also, hiding would have demonstrated that he was afraid of the other government officials. Daniel continued to pray because he could not look to the king for the guidance and strength that he needed during this difficult time. Only God could provide what he really needed. Respond Like Daniel, the apostles Peter and John were no strangers to civil disobedience. When the Jewish council ordered them to stop preaching, they asked, Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? (Acts 4:19). How do you show your willingness to obey God above all others?
Posted on: Fri, 20 Jun 2014 13:18:37 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015