As Usual!
What is something you do as usual?? Something that is part of your normal day? Something you never skip or forget? Is it working out, eating breakfast, having a cup of coffee, watching a favorite show, checking your phone, or having a daily quiet time? Today we read about Daniel and learn the most important thing he did as usual.
When I saw that my assigned post for this week was Daniel, I thought about what I already knew about him. The first story I recalled is Daniel being thrown into the Lion’s Den. I remembered that he interpreted the kings dream. I also remembered how he and his 3 friends got thrown into the fiery furnace (thank you to a church musical I participated in back in the day, the song of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will always be in my mind). The last story that came to mind is that Daniel interpreted the handwriting on the wall.
Daniel was a faithful man of God. He faced these incredible situations and managed to live through them!
Out of all these amazing stories about Daniel. There is one verse that stands out to me the most.
Daniel 6:10
But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. (NLT, bold print mine)
AS USUAL!! This is what Daniel did! He prayed! Just as he had always done! Giving thanks to God. That is it! We don’t read about his worries or his complaints about the incredible situations he was put in. Can you imagine standing in a fiery furnace or amongst hungry lions and not wavering in your faith? Daniel looked to God to provide an escape, and He did. Every. Single. Time. We see that Daniel did what he usually did – PRAYED!
It seems so simple. Pray – as usual. Do we trust God’s promises as Daniel did?
Daniel’s habits of prayer were known to all the people around him. He prayed as usual openly before all who saw him. There was no question of Daniel’s faithfulness to God. Daniel glorified God by the life he lived. His faithful walk allowed God to give him power and wisdom. Daniel took a stand for the Lord and the Lord used his faithfulness to magnify His own name.
Pray – AS USUAL – and see how God will magnify His name through you.