Daring to be a Daniel

Sam Hamstra | Oct 15, 2010

My message for Living Hope Church this Sunday is entitled, "Dare to be a Daniel." Many of you will recognize immediately that I have lifted my title from an old scripture song.  Perhaps you sang it as a childn in Sunday School. I wound up in the Old Testament book of Daniel this week because I decided (I hope by the leading of the Spirit) to launch a five week series entitled "Living in Exile."  By that title I refer to our life as Christians in the United States of America, a country which has been described by many as post-Christian, post-Christendom, post-modern, and the like.

So the thought came to me (again I hope by the Spirit but these days I am not sure where my thoughts originate) that maybe men and women who we read about in the Old Testament might shed some light on how to live as a follower of God in twenty-first-century America. I thought, more specifically, that I might receive insight and encouragement from those followers of God who lived in exile. By the word "exile" I refer to the time period following the destruction of Jerusalem (587-586 BC) when the children of God were deported from Palestine to Babylon.

My first stop was Daniel, the fellow, who while a young man, was taken from Jerusalem to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar, and who stayed in Babylon even after it was taken over by Darius King of the Medes. The first half of the book of Daniel chornicles several interesting stories about Daniel, one of which finds him resting comfortably in a den full of  lions. That story, recorded in Daniel 6, reveals a follower of God who flourished, in every way, in a pagan culture, i.e., in exile. 

After reading the story again and again, I asked myself "Will I dare to be a Daniel?"  Better yet, the reading of the story encouraged me to say, "Oh, if I could only live like Daniel." Now there is nothing fancy here.  I offer no heavy biblical critique of the text. After a surface level reading of the story I noticed six remarkable qualities of Daniel's life, each of which, may encourage Christians seeking to be faithful the Lord while living in exile.  Here they are! Oh, to live like Daniel:

  1. And be distinguished by exceptional work (:1-3),
  2. To be known by unbelievers as a worshiper of God (:4-5),
  3. To obey God's will even when it conflicts with civil law (:10),
  4. To be so disciplined in my prayer life that people know where to find me, even when they want to arrest me (:11-12),
  5. To live by faith and still the mouths of lions (:23), and
  6. To be so respected by unbelievers that they praise my God (:26-27).

But maybe I missed something?  Check out Daniel 6 yourself and add to the list!  

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Comments

Dan Lugo said:

It’s always a shock to read stories that have people trying to take other people down for apparently no reason. Why did the other leaders want Daniel arrested? Racism? Power issues? Jealousy? Pride? Embarrassment of not doing as good a job as the Israelite?

No one thinks that if you try your best and do a great job you’re in line for execution, but I guess sometimes that’s the economy of the world. I guess therein lies the promise of Jesus, “In this world, you will have trouble; but take heart - I have overcome the world.”

That’s good news.

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