My thoughts (Tyler Connoley):

In these verses, the author tells us Daniel and his friends were handed over to Ashpenaz, a character who will become important as Daniel’s story unfolds. Unfortunately, however, most English translators obscure one of the important aspects of Ashpenaz’s person. The NRSV calls him the “palace master” and The Message Bible calls him “the head of the palace staff.” A more literal translation would be Chief Eunuch (Hebrew, Sar HaSarisim).

The ancient Babylonians had a common practice of taking the best and the brightest young men from conquered nations and bringing them home to be officials in the king’s cabinet. The idea was that these men would be able to advise the king and help him assimilate the conquered peoples. However, because the Babylonians didn’t want these foreigners intermarrying with Babylonian women, they would first castrate them before they allowed them to hold high government positions. In Hebrew, these men are called sarisim, which means “eunuchs,” but many translators prefer to call them by their job description — officials or palace staff — perhaps to protect squeamish readers.

Why does this matter? Well, the fact that Ashpenaz was the Chief Eunuch tells us something about the men who were placed under his care — they were probably eunuchs as well. That means Daniel, one of the great heroes of the Bible, was almost certainly a castrated man. *

For those of us who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, this is significant because it means Daniel was also sexually different. Like us, he might have been thought of by his colleagues in the palace as “not a real man.” Like us, he would have been unable to have a “normal” relationship with the opposite sex. And, like us, he may have had days when he wondered why God let this to happen to him.

However, Daniel also allowed God to use him where he was and as he was. Daniel didn’t just accept his lot, he excelled by God’s grace. There were avenues available to him as one of the eunuch officials, that would not have been available otherwise, and he used those to great advantage. If he had remained a bright young man, and married a bright young woman in Israel, we might never have heard of him. But, because he became a eunuch in the palace in Babylon, and allowed God to use him in that role, he became one of the great heroes of the Bible.

Thought for the day: What avenues are open to you, because of the things that have happened to you in the past? Are you willing to let God use you where you are and as are you are?

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. Use the item above as a starting point, or consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

* Not all eunuchs were castrated. See this article for information on the ancient concept of “born eunuch.”

As you read, consider these questions: What might God be saying to me in this passage? What jumps out at me? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two before reading on.

My thoughts on this passage (Tyler Connoley):

The last few chapters of Daniel are filled with accounts of visions and dreams. These are presented as mystical experiences Daniel had during the years he served under various kings of Persia, and they’ve confounded scholars and frightened readers for generations.

So, if the visions confuse you or frighten you, know that you’re not alone. Daniel, himself, recounts over and over how he was terrified and confused at the things he saw. Even after the Angel Gabriel explains one of the visions to him, Daniel responds, “But I was dismayed by the vision and did not understand it.”

Although it’s tempting to spend time wrestling with the details of these visions, trying to understand what they mean and what events they point to, I believe it rarely brings good fruit. Instead, we tend to fall into what Paul calls “stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels,” which Paul says “are unprofitable and worthless” (Titus 3:9).

In the end, what matters is the final word spoken by the Angel Michael to Daniel, “But you, go your way, and rest; you shall rise for your reward at the end of the days.”

If you are following God’s ways, then these words are spoken to you.

Thought for the day: Confused? Frightened? Go your way and rest. Rest in the certainty that you will rise for your reward in the end.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to start, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me in this passage? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.

My thoughts (Julie Benson):

Daniel responds to King Darius, saying, “My God has sent an angel and shut the lions’ mouths.” This scenario is quite similar to the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace, for there we witness an angel of the Lord protecting God’s faithful.

The angel appears in this story to save Daniel for he, too, was faithful in giving thanks to God, using “uncommon sense” as we examined in yesterday’s thoughts. Daniel’s steadfast spirit comes to fruition when he is used as a vessel to illustrate God’s mighty power. He is spared from the lions, retrieved by the king, and acknowledged for his faithfulness.

But, as quickly as Daniel was rescued in the morning, his conspirators were thrown into the den. Now the lions had been fasting just like the king. So as if Daniel’s survival was not enough proof of God’s power, scripture emphasizes the voracity of the lions: “Before they reached the bottom of the dens the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.”

For me, this story of Daniel in the lion’s den puts my faith back in check. Sometimes weary from all of the day to day boxing in life — ducking a driver with road rage here, gently de-escalating a friend’s stress there — I remember the mightiness of our God and little ol’ Daniel. For “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen!” (Hebrews 11:1)

Thought for the day: I’ll remember Daniel’s faithfulness — and God’s power.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.

My thoughts (Theresa Benson):

Now when Daniel learned that the decree was published…he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

He did what?!

At least hide out a little bit — do it when no one’s looking. Don’t just keep doing the same thing — you’re just ASKING to be found out and get thrown in the lion’s den! Where’s your common sense?

I must admit that’s exactly what I thought the first time I read today’s passage. And then I had my “Aha” moment. I realized, God isn’t asking us to act with “common” sense. Of course not! God asks us to be UNcommon, to stand as witnesses of God’s grace and love to those around us.

Take another look at the example Daniel gives us. He was in exile in another country, but rather than bemoan his fate, he focused on and excelled at his job, all while maintaining his relationship with God and making the right connections within the political circles of his time so he could advance. At the moment he begins to receive pressure (in the potential form of some very hungry lions), rather than changing his ways, he sees it for what it really is, and gives thanks to God for the opportunity to witness to those around him by being steadfast in his faith.

And what happens? If even for a brief moment, the King steps outside his own religious beliefs long enough to say a prayer for Daniel that “his” God might have mercy on him.

What’s your lion’s den? Are you willing to change in order to avoid dealing with it?

For me, one of my lions’ dens is a challenging situation with a co-worker we’ll call Jane. No matter the situation, she seems to know exactly what buttons to push, what things to say, or the exact way to behave that is 180 degrees away from where I need her to be. She can be counted on to disrupt the smooth flow of business about once a week. When I see on my calendar that I have a meeting coming up that she’ll be at, I used to cringe and brace myself for yet another headache of a day, filled with frustration and exasperation.

And then I remembered what Jesus instructed us to do in a situation like this — “love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you” — and so I tested it out. I tell you what — it’s pretty difficult to be exasperated with someone who you’re praying for, asking for Jesus’s love to be in their life, and requesting that God bless them ahead of the meeting you’re about to have! And without that exasperation, there’s a calm that comes over me, and I’m able to have a better meeting because of the energy I’m bringing to the table, as well.

I know that God is with Jane and me and I have seen firsthand the transformative power God can have in my lion’s den of a meeting. While Jane and I aren’t best friends, things have certainly gotten better than they were when I wasn’t praying for her, and I can honestly say she doesn’t “exasperate” me any more. And I would hope that she might be able to say the same about me.

I imagine Daniel, too, knew the power that prayer and regular communication with God can have on helping us to calm down, focus on what’s important, and find that part of us that knows that God will be with us no matter what.

So when you find yourself about to encounter a lion’s den in your life, I’d like to recommend trying what Daniel did, and thank God for the gift that’s about to be given you.

Thought for the day: I’ll remember Daniel’s example when I’m about to be fed to the lions.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.

My thoughts (Mark Shoup):

After reading this passage, it is hard not to focus on the actions of of the Presidents and Vice Presidents that King Darius had appointed to manage his Kingdom. Their reaction to finding out that King Darius planned to make Daniel the CEO of the Kingdom was that if they couldn’t have that position, then they were going to do what they could to make sure Daniel didn’t get it either.

Such a typical human response that, sad to say, goes on even to this day. We only need watch about five minutes of whatever “reality television” program is popular at any given time to see this type of backbiting behavior going on.

However, what strikes me as unusual about this situation is what they get King Darius to agree to. They want to make it so that no one but the king can pray — to God or man — for a period of 30 days. Now, the first thing I want to know is “what advantage can come of this?” Why would the king ever agree to something like this? I suppose that the thinking was that without all the prayers and “background noise” of everybody else asking God for things, God would be forced to hear King Darius’ prayers.

I wonder if that is how we view prayer. Do we use “tricks” to get God to hear us — tricks like using big words, flowery language, constant repetition, or even bargaining (God, if you do this, I promise I’ll do that…)? I come from a fundamentalist background where if you needed something, you would put it on the “prayer chain” and get the whole Church to pray for it. I think my mom probably still has about 100 people praying for me to be “released from the clutches of homosexuality!”

Now, this is not to say that praying with other people is wrong. I think there is great comfort and the power of the Holy Spirit when people are united in prayer. But God is not hard of hearing and more voices do not hedge your chances of being heard.

I think the way Jesus described prayer in his Sermon on the Mount is the best way. Just go to a quiet place away from distraction and other people and come to God in honest and humble prayer. God will hear you. You don’t need any gimmicks.

Thought for the day: God — can we talk?

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me in this passage? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.

My thoughts (Tammy Mills):

As I read this text I am reminded that sometimes we repeat the patterns of our parents (or the adults who were most significant in our lives) without much thought as to the harm they may be doing us. It seems that the king’s son fell into the same pride trap that his dad did. How open are we to learning new ways? How open are we to even seeing that we may need a new way?

In a sermon I preached about a year ago, I shared that growing up we were a “Chevy” family. We weren’t nice to “Ford” drivers. Flash forward to a few months ago. . . my girls and I are riding along when they start pointing out the “yucky” Fords. They even request I don’t park our Chevy near any Fords! With out even really being conscious of it, I had passed on my “legacy of Ford disdain” to my girls.

This scripture is a graphic reminder to examine our lives and make sure we are living according to God’s design and not some tired old legacies of the past.

Today I pray that the Spirit might illuminate my heart so that I can see the dangerous legacies I am living. As Melissa would say “The Legacy STOPS Here!”

Thought for the day: What dangerous legacies are you living and passing on?

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.