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.”

Daniel 6:22

Over the last couple of Sundays, we’ve attended services at a couple of churches in the Phoenix area. First, we go with our daughter and grandsons to an early service and then attend another service with some long-time friends. While both preachers are quite different in their delivery and style, each of them have hit on a common thread on a couple of well-known Old Testament characters – Joseph and Daniel.

Today’s sermons each hit on the assurance of God’s presence in difficult times.

As we saw with Joseph a couple of weeks ago, his life was filled with highs and lows, yet his life was one with a God-centered focus.

While his circumstances were quite different, Daniel was also consistent in his life from the days he was a young Jewish exile to the later days when he was likely well into his 80’s serving King Darius of Persia.

At the end of the second message today, the Pastor pointed out that it was dependence and trust in God’s faithfulness that we should aim for because sometimes we don’t become the Prime Minister of Egypt and not everyone is rescued from the den of lions.

The writer of Hebrews tells us as much –

“[Those] who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection.

Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Hebrews 11:33-40

God is faithful. God is trustworthy. God is present in each of our lives.

Let’s take the time to acknowledge Him in every part of our lives.