NOVEMBER 29 “DANIEL’S CONNECTION FAILS HIM”

We don’t know all that is going through Daniel’s mind, but with a little thought, we can piece it together. No doubt Daniel was a very spiritual, Godly man; not easily persuaded or scared away by the ungodly. But what was really going through his mind as he was told the edict had been passed and anyone who disobeyed it would be fed to the lions? We like to see Daniel as this man that was unmoved by death, resolute to serve God even if it meant being devoured by hungry lions and I’m sure that is half of the story. However I believe the other half of the story is Daniel believed that the King, once he found out who it was that had disobeyed the edict, (not to pray to any other God) would make allowance for him. Daniel was no fool and neither are we. We know when we have favor with someone. We know when someone likes us. Daniel has seen himself rise from captive to Wiseman and from Wiseman to ruler over all the Satraps in the country. It has already been made known to Daniel that the King has chosen him to be ruler of all the land. There is no one with more favor, in the land, than Daniel. So yes, Daniel is no coward, yes, Daniel is not easily persuaded against his beliefs and faith,  but I believe coupled with that, is the thought, “these monkeys think the King is going to side with them over me, fat chance, I’m getting ready to be ruler over all the land”.  And Daniel is right. When the Satraps go to the King to report this offense by Daniel, the King, just like Daniel thought, does try to ignore it, because it’s Daniel. These Satraps have to return to the King (if you read the story) and “remind him” that not even he, the King, can overrule his own Edicts that he decrees. Sometimes in our walk with God, God causes are most reliable “connections” to fail us. He causes our “ace in the hole” not to come through for us. He causes our “source” to fail us and just when we think this person is going to come through we find out ….”they, he or she” is not going to come through. Often that’s when we feel the wind sucked out of us, fear, despair and hopelessness starts to overwhelm us and we cry out, “what am I going to do now” and that’s when we hear that still small voice say, “rely on me!” Even the King returns to Daniel and tells him, “I’m not going to be able to get you out of this one, bud!” “The God that you say you serve, the God that you say is mighty, is really going to have to be the one to come through for you on this”. God definitely uses connections, God definitely gives us favor with people so they can help us, but He also at times brings us to a place where He says, “on this one, I want you solely rely on me, I’m going to be your deliverer on this one and He sets up our “fail proof sources, to fail!” so that we have no choice but to turn to Him and see and experience the great miracle that is going to spurn our faith for future conquests. In Daniel having to rely on God and not the King, a great miracle happens. The miracle that happens isn’t simply that the lions don’t devour Daniel, but that the King, through this miracle, makes a new edict proclaiming that everyone in the land, from that day forward, shall serve and pray to the God of Daniel. None of this would have ever come about, had Daniel’s sure connection, “The King” come through for him. Sometimes we think it’s the Devil ruining all our avenues of help, but sometimes it’s God, trying to lead us to Him, to believe in Him for our help and our deliverance and nobody else.  Are all your leads and favors failing you, maybe it’s time to look to God!'

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