The story of Daniel in the lions’ den is well known. But recently, while preparing a devotional from Daniel 6 for our Field Leaders’ Meeting, I found myself focusing less on what happened in the lions’ den, and more on what happened before it.
Daniel did not suddenly become faithful when the crisis struck. The crisis simply revealed the kind of person he already was.
Daniel was dependable, trustworthy, and exceptionally good at his work. When the other leaders tried to find something they could use against him, they came up empty-handed. The Bible describes this beautifully in Daniel 6:4 (NIV):
“At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.”
As a treasurer, I find this particularly interesting. In a sense, they audited Daniel! And this was no routine audit. They were actively trying to uncover a flaw, but they found absolutely nothing.
It made me think deeply about character. If people looked closely at my life, what would they see? Would they see the same person at work, at church, and at home? Would I still do the right thing when no one was watching?
But what was the foundation behind Daniel’s unwavering character and faithfulness? The answer is found in Daniel 6:10 (NIV):
“Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.”
Those last six words stand out to me: “just as he had done before.”
Daniel did not start praying because he was in trouble. He was already praying. Spending time with God was already the rhythm of his life. Before Daniel ever stood before kings, he knelt before God.
For those of us serving the Church, our days can easily fill with meetings, emails, reports, budgets, sermons, and deadlines. We can become so busy doing God’s work that we have less time to spend with the God we work for.
Daniel’s strength did not begin in the palace. It began in his daily relationship with God.
Whatever responsibility God has placed in our hands, may we always remember: before we stand before people, we must first kneel before God.
Reflection Questions
The Character “Audit”: If your daily work, habits, and private life were “audited” today by those looking for faults, what would they find? How can we intentionally cultivate the kind of trustworthiness and integrity that Daniel displayed?
Public vs. Private Life: Daniel’s public faithfulness was deeply rooted in his private devotion. Are you the same person at work, at church, and at home? Where might you need to bring your private habits into alignment with your public faith?
The Trap of Busyness: The devotional mentions the danger of becoming “so busy doing God’s work that we have less time to spend with the God we work for.” Where do you experience this tension in your own life or ministry, and what is one practical step you can take to prioritise your relationship with Him this week?
“Just as he had done before”: When faced with a sudden crisis, is your first instinct to turn to prayer, or do you try to fix it on your own? How can you build a more consistent, daily rhythm of prayer so that you are spiritually prepared long before you face a “lions’ den”?
