06 | Abide Hard
Another chapter brings another new king for Daniel to get to know, with another new set of rules to follow. While the satraps and officials play dirty, Daniel does the same thing he has always done: he gets down on his knees to pray. Conflict with the empire seems to be the norm for Daniel, as it is for every person living a life of “faithful presence”, but he has learned how to abide in the midst of the storm. He’s been getting his Daily Bread from the Father’s Table for decades, and that vibrant inner life with the Spirit is what empowers him to walk into the lion's den without a word of complaint. And while Daniel is praying, the world is watching... and God is working. As Exiles in our modern Babylon, we find ourselves in a similar situation with the insanity of our ever-changing social norms. Fortunately, we have access to the same power by the same Spirit.
Read the narrative of Daniel 6. What stands out to you?
Can you remember a time when you’ve seen a clear line drawn between faithfulness to God or obedience to the world?
What are the habits or practices we need in our context to keep our allegiance to Jesus and resist Babylon’s deforming influences?
What habits or practices might you commit to together as a community of exiles for those same purposes?
April 3, 2022 - Jon Schuler