Faithful unto Death

11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. 12 Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”
14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him.
Daniel 6:11-14
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Faithful unto Death
Daniel’s enemies knew exactly where to catch him: on his knees in prayer. Even under the threat of death, Daniel remained faithful. He could have compromised, closed the windows, or paused his prayers, but he didn’t. He feared God more than lions. This scene reminds us that faithfulness to God often invites opposition. Yet Daniel didn’t stand alone. The God to whom he prayed was with him. Even before Daniel faced the lions, God had already determined to shut their mouths. We, too, live in a world hostile to faith. Yet Jesus, who was thrown into the jaws of death on the cross, emerged alive. His resurrection assures us that no enemy, be it lions or death itself, can separate us from God. In Christ, we are free to pray, to stand firm, and to suffer faithfully, knowing that the victory has already been won by Him who faced death and rose again.