The Princess Gets Rescued

I've moved on to the book of Daniel in my daily reading. Daniel is an exciting book for me. I love the story of Daniel in the lion's den. The symbolism about the power and wonder of God is incredible. Daniel 6 tells the story of how Daniel is set up by those around him. Daniel is one of the administrators for the King. He has an awesome reputation. In fact, Daniel 6 tells me that Daniel distinguished himself among the administrators and that they could find "no corruption in him because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent". The people around Daniel were actually upset because they could not find anything Daniel did wrong. He was above reproach. The story goes on to say that they were so angry with Daniel's reputation that they set him up to be sent to the den of lions.

There are a ton of lessons in the first part of the story. The overarching message, of course, if that I should be living a life completely above reproach. My life and testimony should be one like Daniel's - one in which people could find nothing that would be considered corrupt or negligent. If I was being completely honest, this is not the testimony I have. People around me would not have to dig deep to find something wrong with my testimony. It is a shameful acknowledgement. Thank you that I serve a God that forgives and loves. This, however, is not the focus of my blog today. My favorite part of the story is the end when Daniel is saved from the lions in the den. King Darius is so impressed by what has happened (or didn't happen) in the lion's den that he has a change of heart and decides that everyone is going to serve Daniel's God. Daniel 6:27 says that King Darius declared that Daniel's God "rescues and saves; He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel". How awesome is it that we serve a God that rescues us?

I'm a romantic at heart. I love the movies in which the unassuming girl is "rescued" by the handsome, charming man and is swept off her feet. The part I love the best is that the girl gets rescued. She gets rescued from her boring life, her bad relationship, her heartbreak. . . . nevertheless, she is rescued. It's the part of the movie that the girl feels like a million bucks - she is swept off her feet and is on cloud nine. I can't help myself but fall in the love with the one who rescues as well. One of my favorite movies is Pretty Woman. Ok, now don't judge my spirituality based on that comment. It's a completely romantic movie about a down and out girl (prostitute to be exact) who meets and falls madly in love with an emotional distant millionaire. In the end, the distant millionaire's heart is melted and he rescues her. One of the last lines of the movie is when Edward, the millionaire, has climbed up Vivian's fire escape and says, "What happens after he (the prince) climbs up and rescues her?". Her reply is "She rescues him right back". (Come on, you know you cried at that part, too). I know it's a little unorthodox, but that is how it is with God. God rescues us, His children - just like Daniel - just like the prince rescues the hopeless girl.

He has rescued me. He has rescued me from the depths of hell; the devouring teeth of the lions in the den. He has rescued me from the darkness of my sin and sadness. God has swept me off my feet - just like the princes in the movies that rescue the sad, lonely girl. Lessons from Daniel. Such an exciting book for me.