[This is one in a series of devotional reflections prepared for Horley Baptist Church during February 2022]
Charles Ryall fell asleep in a railway carriage – no doubt something that many of us have experienced. Unfortunately for Ryall, the carriage was on a siding in an area prowled by man-eating lions and he had left the door open. His objective that evening had been to eliminate one of the beasts but, by falling asleep, he suffered a reversal of that plan. The lion entered the carriage and, not being one to let sleeping hunters lie, he made off with a substantial supplement to his evening meal.
When confronted in confined quarters lions are generally unlikely to lie down to have their stomachs tickled. That makes Daniel’s experience all the more remarkable. In the sixth chapter of the book of Daniel we read the story of Daniel in the lions’ den. Many of us will have become familiar with this story from our early years; indeed, it is well known even amongst those who would not realise its Biblical origin.
In its popular telling we tend to focus on the action – or inaction – of the lions but the true focus of the story is found earlier in the chapter. The root cause of the event is jealousy. The high officials of state in Babylon were jealous that Daniel had obtained a higher position than they, and they were determined to eliminate him. Unable to find any fault with respect to the affairs of state, the officials focused on Daniel’s faith in God and they persuaded the king to outlaw public prayer.
Nevertheless, and knowing the consequences, Daniel made no secret of his continuing to pray to God. In due course these officials persuaded the King to, very reluctantly, have Daniel thrown into a den of lions. The next morning the king himself hurried to the den, hoping that Daniel had survived.
Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.” [Daniel 6 v21-22 NIVUK]
Like Joseph and Nehemiah, Daniel achieved a position of influence in the service of a foreign king but without compromising his faith and his practice of regular prayer. In each case, they were able to discharge their temporal duties all the better for the importance that they placed on personal prayer.
Edward Bounds was a contemporary of Charles Ryall. He wrote extensively about how prayer is essential to God’s work.
Church activities may so engage and absorb us as to hinder praying, and when this is the case, evil results always follow. … “Too busy to pray” is not only the keynote to backsliding, but it mars even the work done. Nothing is done well without prayer for the simple reason that it leaves God out of the account.[1]
Daniel’s habit of praying got him into trouble. We can pick up two questions from that.
– Do you have any habits or regular practices that could get you into trouble?
– Would you still speak to or about God if you knew that trouble would result?
[1]: “The Weapon of Prayer”, EM Bounds, via CCEL.org
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Contributed by Steve Humphreys; © the Author
