No Sign of Hurt

Over the weekend, Jason and a couple of friends tackled the much-needed yard work at our house. They cut the grass, trimmed the weeds, and cut back the hedges. We have a long line of hedges that run the length of our house and are filled with nasty briers. Taming them was no easy task. When they were done, Jason came inside, and I immediately noticed the many scratches and scrapes all over his arms, legs, and stomach. In just a few hours, my poor hubby looked like he'd gone head-to-head with a porcupine in a cactus. . .and lost.

Fast forward to Sunday morning. The preacher spoke on the familiar story of Daniel in the lion's den. As we read the account, a particular phrase jumped out at me and struck me with newfound awe.

Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God. - Daniel 6:19-23

Notice that: "no manner of hurt was found upon him." Upon reading these words, I looked over at Jason and again noticed the scratches on his hands. And I marveled. Jason spent a few hours doing yard work and came away mangled. Daniel spent the entire night in a lion's den and came out without a single mark. No bruises from sleeping on the den floor. No teeth marks from the hungry lions. Not even a scratch from being lowered and raised from the pit. Nothing. Not one single injury! How miraculous is that?

We see a similar situation in Daniel 3, where the three Hebrew children refused to bow before the idol Nebuchadnezzar set up. In his rage, the king had them thrown into the fiery furnace, but they wouldn't burn. Instead, they were joined by a fourth figure—one that the king identified as looking like the Son of God.

When the three Hebrews were pulled from the furnace, the Bible tells us the fire had no power over them. Their hair wasn't singed. Their clothes weren't marred or charred. They didn't even smell like smoke. Once again, not a mark. Not even an odor.

So often, we read through these familiar stories and forget just how remarkable they are. Not that the men of the stories are extraordinary (though many of them were worthy of being emulated), but rather that the Lord of these stories is worthy to be praised. Only God could do these things. The big and the small—it's all the same to Him.

Whatever you need today, God's got it. There's no matter too big and none too small. He cares about every detail of your life, and He can take care of you. Just ask Daniel. He's had the lion's share of experience! (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)