Be grateful while at risk
I’m not a risk taker. You won’t catch me bungee jumping, skydiving, or even riding a roller coaster. None of that excites me—I just don’t see the appeal.
The only risks I’d ever consider taking are for the gospel. I saw this lived out in my dad. He would travel into remote villages and sensitive areas to share the love of Christ—sometimes even when it meant putting his own life in danger.
His courage reminds me of Daniel. Here was a man who chose to worship God openly, even when the cost could have been his life.
In Daniel 6, King Darius establishes a law that anyone praying to any god or person other than the king will be cast into the lions’ den.
With his life at risk, Daniel could have chosen to worship God in secret or hide his faith. But in Daniel 6:10 NIV we read that:
When Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he 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.
What strikes me is that he not only prayed–I imagine for the decree to be undone or the King to come to his senses–but he also gave thanks.
I’d have loved to be Daniel’s roommate and overhear his prayer. What would he have thanked God for? His protection? His intervention? None of those things had happened yet.
Would you remember to thank God while facing death by lions?
I asked myself that question. I could see myself pleading with God, begging Him to save my life, reminding myself of scriptures about His protection, but I am not sure if gratitude would be high on my list, if I’m being totally honest.
Daniel’s story is another reminder of the importance of gratitude in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
