Just as He Had Done Before

I know I said I was going to try to blog the great stuff from Iain Duguid's commentary on Daniel 1-8 but I just don't think I'm going to be able to find the time to do that, so instead I'll say: get the book and read it! I really can't recommend it highly enough. 

But I did just want to share something which stuck out to me from Daniel 6. Daniel learns that the King- under the influence of his wicked advisors- has decreed that  no one was to pray to any god except the king, and if thy did they were to be thrown into the lions' den. I love verse 10:

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room...Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

In my Bible I have written the comment (I don't know who said it),

"Prior discipline prepares us for present dilemmas. Prepare for a crisis in advance."

Get the habit of prayer and depending on God and his Word in the good times. It's not something we'll suddenly learn to do in the bad. It fits with 11.32,

With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant,

but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.

When temptation comes and Satan attacks us our defense needs to be that we know our God. That is the way we will be able to firmly resist. And that will come about as we get to know God in his Word, making it our habit to be spend time with him and recounting to ourselves and others all the incredible works he has done in history and in our lives.