September 6 Bible Reading Plan

Don’t expect to be motivated every day to get out there and make things happen. You won’t be. Don’t count on motivation. Count on discipline.(1)


-Jocko Willink

Daniel just received a big promotion. When I say "big promotion," I mean he just stepped into a super, ginormous job of a lifetime.

When King Darius conquered King Belshazzar (after the infamous 'writing on the wall'), he set up a new government structure. He gave 120 men the job of "satrap" (governors), then he appointed 3 of them as "vice-regents" (head of the governor). Daniel was one of the "vice-regents" until he got the promotion that put him in charge of the whole kingdom. Yep, you read that right—-the WHOLE kingdom. (Daniel 6:1-3)

Needless to say, this made the other governors jealous. Who was this Daniel guy that he got such a huge position—-to even rule over them—men who probably had more training and experience than Daniel, a former Jewish exile?

In a sentence, the powers that be were livid. They started designing a plot to take Daniel down.

There was only one problem—-they couldn't find any dirt on Daniel to make him look bad. His character was impeccable.

The Message says this:

The vice-regents and governors got together to find some old scandal or skeleton in Daniel's life that they could use against him, but they couldn't dig up anything. He was totally exemplary and trustworthy. They could find no evidence of negligence or misconduct. (Daniel 6:4, the Message)

What an incredible reputation!! What an example for all of us to strive toward! They couldn't find anything to use against him because he was exemplary and trustworthy. Wow!!

Then it hit them: If they wanted to trap Daniel, they had to make him do what he would never do—disobey God's Law.

And so, in Daniel 6:6-9, we see the conspirators go to the king and get him to make a law saying that no one could pray to anyone but the king for thirty days. If they did, they would be thrown into the den of lions.

I have to admit, having been raised in the church, I have heard the story of Daniel and the lion's den hundreds of times. I've seen pictures of lions on felt boards, watched the Veggie Tales videos, and heard countless sermons. But it was only recently, as I reread this chapter, that I noticed a few little words hidden in Daniel 6:10.

"But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.” (NLT)

Daniel did exactly what they expected him to do. (Daniel 6:10)

"Just as he always did," Daniel remained faithful to God's Law.

--Just as he did when he was a young man who refused to eat the king's food….

--Just like he wasn't at the king's party worshiping idols and desecrating the Temple objects the night the kingdom fell…

…Once again, Daniel said, "No matter the cost, I will cling to God's Laws. I will be faithful to God. Obedience is my highest priority. Whatever happens, I will not sin against God."

That's an unbreakable man of God!

But what gave Daniel the strength to hold to his commitment?

I believe part of the answer is that prayer and spending time with God were normal parts of his life. In fact, by this point, spending time with God, seeking God's wisdom, and hearing God give His wisdom had become an integral part of Daniel's life.

Because he did it every day, he knew he couldn't survive without it.

He knew his time with God gave him everything he needed to lead the country and fulfill his responsibilities.

He knew his commitment to God had brought him to this point, and he would not give up this time for anyone or anything.

For Daniel, prayer wasn't a "have-to." It was an "I get to" and "I need to."

Because he had developed the discipline of prayer, he knew he could not survive without it. He depended on it. It was more precious to him than life, so he chose prayer…just like always.

Here's the thing: if we want to be unbreakable like Daniel in the hard times, we need to discipline ourselves to develop consistency in our prayer life and Bible reading before the difficulty comes.

This isn't going just magically to happen.

You'll have to create a plan to pray and then do everything you can to stick to that plan.

First, you need to choose a time when prayer works for you. Look at your schedule and say, "This is when I can realistically pray," then put it on your calendar like an appointment.

Next, choose a place to pray. Choose one place where you can spend time alone, uninterrupted. Let the people who live with you know when you are there and the door is closed, you're only available for emergencies because you are praying.

Finally, stick to the plan—even when you don't feel like it.

Jocko Willink says, "Don't expect to be motivated every day to get out there and make things happen. You won't be. Don't count on motivation. Count on Discipline.” (1)

Daniel didn't start praying when the people who hated him passed the law. Instead, he could stand firm for God and His principles because he had the foundation of a personal relationship with God.

Today, if you want to follow Daniel's example and be an unbreakable man, you must discipline yourself to start spending time in your prayer closet.

Be faithful, consistent, and committed to developing a personal relationship with Jesus.

That's how you prepare for the day when the command comes to bow. You can say, "Just like I've always done, I only bow my knee to Jesus."

Bibliography:

1. The Strive. "100+ MOTIVATIONAL JOCKO WILLINK QUOTES FOR GETTING AFTER IT." The Strive, thestrive.co/best-jocko-willink-quotes/. Accessed 11 Aug. 2024.