Daily Devotionals

Devotional: May 5th

Daniel 6:1-16

The empire of the "head of gold" came to an end in a single night. Present at its inception, Daniel also witnessed its fall 70 years later. We find the prophet, an old man of nearly 90, rising above both the happenings and the individuals. He is no more impressed by human splendour than by its downfall. Although a stranger (in the moral sense as well as the actual), he served with equal diligence the vain Nebuchadnezzar, the worldly Belshazzar and now the feeble Darius (cf. 1 Peter 2:18 . . .). This faithfulness earns him the confidence of his sovereign and the jealousy of his colleagues. These latter conspire against him, and the king, hoodwinked by their hypocritical scheme, signs his irrevocable decree. But Daniel, good servant though he be, cannot submit to it. Indeed – and it needed this wicked plot for us to learn of it – the man of God had a devout habit. Three times a day he used to kneel in his room to call upon his God (read 1 Kings 8:48; 1 Kings 8:50; Psalms 55:17).

Dear friends, we are able to get on our knees as often as we wish, without any anxiety. Let us make use of this privilege to find in prayer, like Daniel, the hidden source of strength and wisdom.

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