Safe at Home Plate

Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him. Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. (Daniel 6:16-23 ESV).

The Texas Rangers are doing very well this year. They are still in first place in the American League West leading the Houston Astros by two and one-half games. We try to watch as many games as we can. I always enjoy a good play at home plate. One particular play came as the result from a great hit moving Elvis Andrus from first all the way around toward home. I saw it unfold in real time as we watched. As he neared third base, he saw the ball scooped up. The base coach is being conservative and trying to hold him at third; but Andrus wants to score. He wheeled around the base and headed for home. In a cloud of dust, he slid into home just as he heard the ball smack into the catcher’s mitt and the umpire called, “Safe!” Sometimes we have close calls in life. They are exciting in games, but when larger issues press us, they can be daunting at the least. Our reading describes such an experience in the life of Daniel. As a result of his refusal to worship any other god but the God, he is cast into a den of lions. It must have been an incredible emotional experience. He had to feel the whole gambit of emotion, from fear and terror to peace and acceptance. None of those emotions would subside until the doors were opened and he was released. The king had declared him “safe.” Perhaps of greater interest to us as we face our own “lion’s den” in death is to understand that the decision whether we are safe or not has already been determined. Jesus’ death and resurrection has already won. We don’t have to run for our life. Just a little trot on to home plate will do. Jesus is safe!