January 30, 2020

"[Daniel] 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."
Daniel 6:10

When you picture Daniel in the lion's den, how old is Daniel? He and his friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were probably teenagers in 605BC when the Babylonians captured them. They were some of the "cream of the crop" of young students in Jerusalem, promising young men who could be indoctrinated to follow the ways of their conquerors. And yet Daniel and his friends stay faithful and committed no matter what.

By Daniel 6, these young men were no longer teenagers - it was actually 66 years later! At the end of Daniel 5, we see the fall of Babylon that happened in 539BC. If you do the math, Daniel must have been well into his 80s when he was tossed to the lions!

I am struck by Daniel's faithful life of prayer leading up to that moment. He has spent his entire adult life in exile. Daniel 6:10 says, "Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before." If he prayed three times a day every day for his 66 years in exile, that would have been at least 72,270 times on his knees.

Imagine the way praying that frequently and faithfully would impact your life. Imagine 72,270 moments in the presence of God. Imagine how the Lord would teach you deep truths about Himself, shape and form your character, reveal to you great wisdom and insight, calm your fears, and give you courage in times of struggle.

At the beginning of Daniel 6, the prophet's enemies create a plot to have him executed. But they completely underestimate the power of God at work in Daniel's life through a lifetime of prayer. Maybe they have not heard the stories of his wisdom in interpreting dreams. Maybe they have not heard the stories of his friends' impossible escape from a fiery furnace. For whatever reason, they made a fatal flaw in thinking they could win against one man and his Almighty God. Daniel came out of the lions' den unscathed, but for them, "before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them" (Daniel 6:24).

This Sunday, we will be looking more into Daniel's story and considering how prayer and scripture reading are vital part of becoming disciples and making disciples. May you all be shaped and formed by the power of God's presence, just as Daniel was.

Blessings,
Pastor Carolyn

News and Notes

• Fired-Up Friday: This Friday, February 7, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

• All-Church Retreat: Brochures with information and registration form are available this week. Plan to join us, Friday to Sunday, March 13-15.

• Reveille Men's Breakfast: Saturday, February 22, 8:00 - 9:30 a.m.at Mt. Lebanon United Methodist Church. Register online at adamsquest.org, by calling Bob Jamison at 412-561-2124.