“And in his upper room, with his windows open towards Jerusalem, Daniel knelt down on his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks before His God, as was his custom since the early days.” Daniel 6:10
If one was to search for the key to the life of Daniel, with respect to his relationship with God, and God’s blessing upon him, it would be in that meeting with God daily, three times, “since the early days.” Daniel, a captive, having been brought to Babylon after Jerusalem fell, was cast into a new, unwanted circumstance in the presence of his enemies. God sovereignly chose Daniel as a young man, certainly while still in Israel before the captivity, revealing Himself to Daniel to make him a worshiper of Jesus Christ. We understand this because of the stand he took with regard to eating food given him by the King but sacrificed also to idols. Immediately, he was faced with the question of whether he would remain faithful to God or yield to the godlessness and idolatry of the Babylonians. Like Timothy, the spiritual son of Paul the Apostle, many years later, we find that it was through his godly relatives, that the seeds of faith had germinated in his heart, which set him on the path of usefulness, following in part in the steps of Paul. Daniel came to Babylon with a knowledge of the truth of God, and a conviction that he would know and prove this God according to the truth. But how would he remain faithful, and overcome in wisdom and discretion the edits of the King, and eventually be thrown into a den of lions, though he be innocent of the accusations laid on him? The answer would be found in a principle and practice that would never leave him. Jesus spoke of this practice when he said to his disciples, “WHEN you pray…” Daniel did not consider prayer, and worship, to be a relative matter, something that one could do without from time to time. For him it was his life, that means which God had put at his disposition whereby God would answer his prayers, show him His glory, and bring him into conformity with His will. This would result in the blessing of the world, not only of a life of faith and the manifest faithfulness of God, but also in regard to things to come, prophetically speaking, concerning Israel and the end times. The key to Daniel’s life was his communion with God that was very real and stabilizing. Out of that set apart time of worship, prayer, and thanksgiving, there was born a faith that would “overcome the world.” That which occurred during that time of prayer is that God would reveal His glory, His power, and His mercy to Daniel. He would give him, in essence, a vision of Himself that Daniel must always remember and hold to every day. As the vision was clear, and faith was firm, the storms which were hurled at Daniel would certainly be felt keenly, but their effect would not be powerful enough to turn him aside from devotion to Christ, even when standing before a den of lions. What then must believers grasp of this time of aloneness with God?
It was first a time when Daniel would deliberately bow his knees before his God, yielding to Him as the Lord and Sovereign King of his life. Then there was prayer, certainly for his people and the situation in which he found himself. He prayed for those around him who were lost, and yet who had authority over him. But perhaps that for which he prayed the most is borne out by the revelation God gave to Daniel of Himself. Daniel was a seeker of God, one thirsting after God. He was also one who was thankful for all that God revealed to him and accomplished for him. Daniel, being a student of the writings of the prophets before him, sought to know God of truth, being a light in the darkness.
Dear Father, Renew our vision of Thyself. In Jesus’ name, Amen.