“And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?” (Daniel 6:20 KJV)
Do you see something very curious about the question that Darius is asking? Let’s reflect on when we’ve been in a similar situation as this (though it may pale in comparison), and read that question again. Think of a time that there was something that you really did not want to go through and all was done to attempt to avoid it. Notwithstanding, there you are being thrust right into that very situation. Maybe you had the feeling that “this is so unnecessary” or “if only I’d been just a little more prepared” or even just “why”? So, things take the course that they do and you come to the end of this test or trial or whatever it was, and someone comes to check on you. Maybe they are a skeptic and they want to see “how things worked out for you”. Maybe they actually care about you and want to see how you are doing. Yet, though Darius does actually care about Daniel, the question asked does not reflect any of this. The question asked is centered on what Daniel’s God was able to do.
Our first instinct is to tell the story of how we survived the ordeal. We want to give an inspirational message on how to be yet better prepared. We want to remind people that certain things cannot be taken for granted. We want the audience to really feel the horrors of what we had to endure. We want…. Alas, it is not about us, is it? The question was asking, was our God “able to deliver”? Do you have an answer ready for that? Are you watching the present situation so that you can provide more detail on how He delivered you? When someone comes to check on my wellbeing, am I ready to share with them what I see God doing even if I have not yet arrived at the end state? That does draw out the hard part. We tend to get lost in, where is the “end state”? There were many Christians thrown to the lions during Nero’s reign and their story seems yet untold. Yet, their end state is eternity with their deliverer who saved them from so much more than the lions. Nero’s end state may not be so good. At times, God’s hand may seem so invisible, but he always reveals it to those that are seeking it. We just need to be ready to share what he is doing in our present state.
“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” (James 1:12 KJV)