Daniel has always been one of my favorite Bible stories because when I was little my grandmother often told it to me during the many hours we spent together. Daniel was part of a group of children from ancient Israel who were captured during war and brought to a place called Babylon. The king of Babylon wanted strong boys who were smart, wise, fast learners, and who could serve him. From the beginning Daniel was bold. He was taken from his home, given a new name, taught a new language, and given a special diet decided by the king. But Daniel made up his mind that he wouldn’t defile his body with the food the king gave him. God had given the Israelites rules about the food they ate, and Daniel wanted to obey those rules. The king’s officials were hesitant to let him eat just vegetables and water, but after they agreed Daniel and his friends ended up stronger and healthier than all the others.

God gave Daniel wisdom and knowledge to interpret dreams. He was loved by everyone and given authority in the kingdom. Daniel was even more popular with the king after he interpreted a dream that the king had completely forgotten. He was bold enough to go before the king to tell him his dream even though he was threatening to kill all of his “wise men” if they couldn’t tell him about his dream. Daniel was one of the king’s favorite people and he was appointed as a leader over the whole realm. Things seemed really good for Daniel until the trouble started.

Other leaders who served under Daniel were jealous of his wisdom and leadership as well as his favor with the king. They wanted to find some kind of complaint about Daniel they could make to the king, but they couldn’t find anything, so they decided to make it up. They convinced the king to make a new law that everyone in the kingdom must worship him. If anyone is caught worshipping any god but the king, they will be thrown into a den of lions. Wow! This was bad news for Daniel and his friends, or was it? Daniel had a tradition that three times a day he went to his open window and got down on his knees to pray and thank God. Naturally, the king’s men saw him and reported him to the king, who was heartbroken. The King loved Daniel and didn’t want to see him die, but he had no choice but to carry out the punishment.

“Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, who you serve continually, deliver you!” Daniel 6:16

Imagine you are Daniel. The king says he has no choice but to put you in the lions’ den. Your stomach drops as you hear these words, and you imagine being torn apart by hungry lions. As you get closer to the den you hear the growling and snarling of the hungry lions and the baring of their teeth as they prepare for their next meal… YOU! As men pick you up and throw you into the lions den, rolling a big stone over the opening you brace for impact…

Daniel is bold. He was bold from the beginning when he was forcibly taken from his home and moved to a strange place with a completely different culture. Then, he was bold to pray when it was against the law. He held his faith of greater importance above anything else even when he knew it could get him killed. Now, facing that den of hungry lions Daniel was still bold. Daniel 6:19-23 tells the rest of the story.

“Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.”

Daniel had the boldness to face the lions den knowing that whether he lived or died God was still good and trustworthy. Daniel’s boldness rested in the security he had in the Lord, knowing that whatever happened he was living the life God called him to live even though it was difficult. The only way we can be truly bold is through God. It’s nothing we can do in our own power. When we have accepted Jesus to be the center of our lives, his Holy Spirit links up with our spirit.

2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and of love and self-control.”

I hope the story of Daniel inspires you to be bold in whatever you’re facing today. I hope you are encouraged that God has given you a spirit of boldness and bravery just like Daniel.

Katelyn