Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Worship that is costly


When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.
Daniel 6:10

There was a very real culture war for Daniel that would cost him when he chose to take sides. The document in reference deified the king of Babylon, with a special 30 day “celebration” in which no other type of worship could be done except bowing to the king. Most Babylonians probably saw it as insignificant. Daniel know the unjust and ungodly law was scheduled to be signed by the king. And he knew that his daily practice would not change. The law went into effect, and Daniel kept his spiritual disciplines three times a day, in his home, praying to the Lord.

No unjust law, no persecution of the people of God, no pressure from culture should keep our hearts from worship. Daniel was thankful even as expressing that thankfulness to God was a crime punishable by death. He would not bow to any other god of this world. He would not agree that a man should be worshiped. He would continue in the king’s court, but he would only worship God.

Fast forwarding to the end of this conviction at the end of the chapter and we see it was rewarded. Daniel was indeed punished under the terms of the unjust law for disobeying it. He was thrown into the lions den. God thus delivered him and the king repented of the vain law he had enforced. Those who conspired to destroy Daniel were thrown into the same den and mauled to death before they hit the bottom of the floor. God will honor and protect those who worship Him even in hardship.

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