June 28, 2011 … Integrity Will Be Vindicated

Passage of the Day: Daniel 6: 21 - 24 … 21 Daniel answered, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent His angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in His sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king.” 23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24 At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

My Journal for Today: In the 21st Century, … in these days of blatant and open political and legal oppression of Christian values and ideals, it can be discouraging to stand with integrity as a believer in Christ in battle after battle for a country founded on Christian principles now being denigrated and degraded by men like those Daniel faced from the court of King Darius. That’s why it is most encouraging to latch on to the truth of this historical story of Daniel being delivered from the lions.

John MacArthur clearly states the principle … that “… God will always vindicate His people.” We don’t always know when or how the vindication will occur; but it WILL happen … even if that occurs in Heaven.

It had to have been a major downer for Daniel to know he was in the “right” and still was put into the lion’s den by a King with whom he had built a strong and lasting relationship of trust. But Daniel, I’m sure, remembered how God had delivered him in the past as well as his three young friends years before from the fiery furnace; and Daniel’s integrity of faith would be with him as he entered that den of lions. Would he be delivered from death? Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, I’m sure Daniel believed that God would be his deliverer; but he could not know whether he would be delivered from the mouths of those lions or into the hands of God for eternity. But Daniel knew and believed, with integrity, that His God was his deliverer.

Now it’s true that deliverance from anti-God oppression these days may not be as quick or as dramatic as it was for Daniel; but Christ’s oppression on the cross, which resulted in His death and resurrection, has sealed our future where we, who have faith in Him, will be delivered and live with Him forever in heaven. Perhaps God has set our nation adrift as it teaches about a godless culture in Romans 1. But we, who claim Christ as our Lord and Savior, have the hope which overcomes the oppression from any circumstances; and it allow us to believe in the truth that all things work together for the good of God’s chosen ones (hopefully you recognize that from your memory of Rom. 8: 28).

My Prayer Today: We are so blessed, Lord, to stand with you as did Daniel. Amen