The Faithful Servant

The ground of the pit was made of cold and cracked stone.
Through the thick dust and the dark night, all that could be heard... was the growl...

The lions were close.

Daniel couldn’t see them, but he knew where he was. This was the lion’s den. And for reasons, a reason even the king regretted, Daniel had been sealed inside.

But this story doesn’t begin in the pit.
It begins in the royal courts of the Persian Empire,
at a time when the kingdom was young and growing fast.

It’s an empire where newly constructed roads stretched across deserts and mountains,
linking little villages to great cities.
Street vendors sold everything from fine cloth, golden oil, bright spices, to little silver cups in the open-air markets.
And in the heart of the empire worked a man... named Daniel.

Daniel was not Persian.
He came from a place called Jerusalem.
And even as a boy, people noticed something about him.
He was steady, responsible, honest, and wise.
And more than anything...he trusted God.
He prayed every day, never afraid of what others might think...

Over time, Daniel became one of the king’s most trusted helpers.
He helped settle arguments in the city, checked on new roads being built,
and made sure people were treated fairly.
He didn’t cheat or brag...
He just kept doing the right thing, even when no one was watching...

And King Darius noticed this honest, and kind Daniel...

But not everyone liked Daniel’s success.

A few jealous officials whispered behind closed doors.
“Why does this outsider have so much favor?”
They couldn’t find anything wrong with Daniel... He was just so, so, kind. And he was... honest.

So.. they came up with a sneaky plan...

They went to the king and said,
“O King, you are wise and strong.

Wouldn’t it be a great idea, because you’re so great... to let no one in the kingdom pray to anyone but you... for, let’s say... thirty days?”

The king, flattered by their praise, agreed.
And he signed the new law. And in Persia, once a law was signed, it could NOT be undone...

Daniel heard about the new rule.

But that very day, he went home, opened his window toward Jerusalem, and He prayed...

Just like he always had.
Morning... Noon... and Night... he set his attention on God
Because no one, and no law could stop his love for God...

The jealous officials saw him.
They rushed back to the king:
“Daniel broke the law! He must be thrown to the lions!”

The king’s heart sank.
He liked Daniel. He respected him.
But the law was sealed...

As Daniel was led to the den, the king whispered,
“May your God—whom you serve so faithfully—rescue you.”

Inside the the pit was dark.
A room full of stone, dust...
And, hungry lions...

But Daniel didn’t panic.
He knelt on the ground, closed his eyes, and he began to pray...

The lions paced. Their eyes fixed on this intruder...
But...they did not attack.
Something...held them back. SOMEONE... stopped them.
And Daniel prayed through the night, trusting that God, the maker of HEAVEN and EARTH, was there with him...

The next morning, the king ran to the pit.
He hadn’t slept at all.
“Daniel?!” he called. “Has your God saved you?”

And then...Daniel’s voice rose up:
“O king, live forever! My God sent His angel. The lions did not harm me!”

The king, surprised and confused, was overjoyed...
He ordered Daniel to be freed at once, and miraculously there wasn’t a single scratch on him.

From that day on, the king made a new decree:
“Let everyone in my kingdom honor the God of Daniel—
for He truly is the living God.
His power rescues and saves.”

Daniel stayed in the royal court.
And the story of that night—the long, quiet night when God closed the mouths of lions—
was told and retold in every corner of the land.

Even today, when we feel scared or alone,
Daniel reminds us that God is near.
Strong enough to shut the mouths of lions.
And faithful enough to never leave us in the dark.