Daniel 6 opens with a man who knew the writing had been signed, knew the trap had been set, and yet went home and prayed anyway. Daniel’s windows stayed open toward Jerusalem, and his knees still bent three times a day, “as was his custom.” Prayer was not Daniel’s emergency plan. Prayer was his life with God. That kind of prayer says, make the request known, get up off the knees, and wait on God.
God calls His children to trust Him beyond words recited in a hurry. The claim, “The Lord is my shepherd,” cannot live alongside hustling, scheming, scamming, and trying to force a way that God has not opened. Trust means believing God will come through, even when the answer does not show up on the desired timetable. God’s answer about the $47,000 came with peace before the money came, because July was not October, and the need had not yet arrived. God does not always give comfort early, but God does give what is needed right when it is needed.
Daniel’s life also shows that God’s will matters more than a person’s own wants. Prayer can bring every request before God, but prayer must finally say, “If it be Your will.” God knows what is best, and being outside God’s will is not a place anybody ought to want to be. God’s tests reveal where faith really is, not because God needs to find out, but because His children need to see the truth and ask Him for strength to move forward.
Daniel’s excellent spirit gave him favor with King Darius, but that same integrity made him a target. The plot against Daniel worked because his enemies knew his habits. Daniel would not steal from the king, skim off the top, or go along with a crooked plan. Daniel’s enemies also knew exactly where to find him: praying to his God. A Christian’s custom ought to be plain enough that people know what kind of answer they will get when compromise comes knocking.
God did not keep Daniel out of the lion’s den, but God kept Daniel in the lion’s den. The stone stayed in place, Daniel stayed in the pit, and hungry lions stayed powerless because God sent an angel to shut their mouths. God does not always deliver His children from the situation, but God will get in there with them. Jesus Christ proves that truth finally and fully: He came down into a sin-struck world, went up Calvary’s hill, entered the grave, and rose in victory. Christ’s finished work gives every praying child of God reason to keep praying and trust God.
Key Takeaways
- 1. Prayer must become a settled custom Daniel prayed after the decree was signed because prayer was already built into his life. A crisis cannot create overnight what has never been practiced in quiet places. A steady prayer life forms a heart that can stand when pressure comes. [38:42]
- 2. God’s timing is not God’s failure God gave peace about a need months before He supplied it, because the need was not yet due. Faith does not demand early relief simply to quiet personal discomfort. Trust learns the difference between wanting something now and needing God to act right on time. [47:47]
- 3. God’s will outranks personal desires Prayer brings real desires to God, but faith still asks, “If it be Your will.” God sees what His children cannot see, including the danger of getting what seems best outside His will. God’s will is not a small addition to prayer; it is the safest place a life can stand. [1:00:22]
- 4. Integrity makes a witness visible Daniel’s enemies could find no corruption in his work, so they used his faithfulness to God against him. A life of integrity will often make a person inconvenient to people who need agreement in wrongdoing. God remains the righteous Judge of what a person does when nobody else is looking. [1:07:43]
- 5. God enters places He does not remove Daniel remained in the den, but God sent an angel into the den with him. Deliverance does not always mean escape from the pit; sometimes it means God’s presence makes the pit unable to destroy His child. Jesus Christ entered human suffering and death Himself, proving that God does not abandon those who belong to Him. [1:18:13]
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