Servant of the Living God

Dan.616 Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions' den The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you."
17 A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel.

18 Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.

19 Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions' den.

20 When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?"

21 Then Daniel spoke to the king, "O king, live forever!

22 "My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime."

23 Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

24 The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they cast them, their children and their wives into the lions' den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

25 Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language who were living in all the land: "May your peace abound!

26 "I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel;
For He is the living God and enduring forever,
And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed,
And His dominion will be forever.
27 "He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders
In heaven and on earth,
Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions."

28 So this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

God can be glorified in us when we follow His Word. I love that Daniel wasn't afraid of what men would do to him, he had his heart set to Zion, he followed his spiritual discipline and trusted that God would deliver him.

It is also exciting to see the impact that we can have on the world by being the people that God wants us to be. Darius couldn't even sleep when Daniel went into the lion's den. Darius has such respect, and maybe even love, for Daniel that he fasted for him. This is the king; kings don't generally fast for anyone, but rather feast unto themselves. Daniel made a huge impact on the world around him, by living according to God's commandments.

What joyous celebration comes the next morning when the king rises at day break and goes, in haste, to find Daniel. Notice that Darius doesn't wait for someone to tell him that Daniel has been delivered, he is confident in Daniel's God. Darius' faith in God is a little shaky, but he hasn't read this story yet. I am encouraged and rebuked when he says, "the God whom you CONSTANTLY serve". To be known as a child of The King who serves Him constantly, is my aim, but I certainly haven't come close to achieving that yet. Daniel seems pretty matter of fact in his answer. "God shut the mouth of the lions because He found me innocent". Would God have found me innocent?

Darius not only has the evil leaders killed, but their wives and children. The spiritual health of our families depend much on our own personal walk. God honors Daniel and judges the proud. God's name was exalted by the faithfulness of one of His servants. May that be us. The world needs us to be walking with Our Great God.