Tame the Lions!

I knew going in that Singapore was no smooth trip.

But the past two weeks was really hard. Betrayal, low self-esteem, daunting tasks, you name it.

My ever wise Husby reminded me to have faith in myself. He said I should be just like the biblical character Daniel who tamed a den of lions.

Daniel was a man who came into Babylonian captivity from a life as a man of God in Israel. He later became elevated to a position of power in the Babylonian government and was the leading “president” over one-hundred and twenty princes. He was a Jew and not a Babylonian. He was promoted because the king saw his relationship with God and spiritual insight that was valuable to the king in his rule over the kingdom.

A number of the other princes and leaders became jealous of Daniel’s relationship with the king and plotted against him. The story goes that they deceived the king and had him sign a decree that for thirty days no one was to pray or petition any god or power except the king. They knew Daniel's character. He prayed three times a day without fail, and they knew he wouldn’t change his habits.

Just as they expected, Daniel prayed, and they played. They went to the king and ratted Daniel out. The Bible says the king was saddened when he realized he would have to enforce his decree. The penalty was the lion’s den.

The king told Daniel that he was convinced that Daniel’s God would somehow deliver him in the midst of the problem he faced. The king had more faith than all the other princes that Daniel thought were his friends.

The story goes that Daniel was dropped into the den of lions. Now these were not ordinary lions. They were breed for the purpose of punishment. They were kept hungry so that they would quickly pounce on anything that came into their den.

All night long, the king stayed awake. He couldn’t eat, he couldn’t sleep, he worried and fretted about his friend Daniel.

But all the time the king was tossing on his bed, Daniel was taming the lions.

I believe that Daniel stepped into that den convinced that one way or the other, God was going to deliver him. I don’t think for a minute that he crouched over in the corner, and said, “oh woe is me, here I was trying to do right and now God has given me over to the lions.” No, he walked right up to the lion and faced them head on.

Armed with this story in my heart, I too, will face and tame my lions.