Daniel’s Dozen, Part 4: Thankful

Martin Luther gave a brief but powerful eulogy of a pastor named Nicholas Haussmann: “What we preach, he lived,” said the great reformer. What I preach, Daniel lived. They are Daniel’s Dozen, twelve godly, timeless, attractive and Christ-like qualities of character God wants us to pursue, as believers, not to be saved but because we are saved.
Salvation is not by trying harder, it is by grace, all grace and only grace, from first to last. But this is a grace that saves both from the penalty of sin and the power of sin. It is a grace that transforms. The goal is Christlikeness.

If you are not a believer born again by grace through repentance from sin and faith in Christ, don’t try this at home. It would be like trying to build a nuclear weapon in your garage. You don’t have the tools, the knowledge or the raw materials necessary. So it is with a person who tries to live the Christian life without actually being a Christian.

Here are some practical ideas as to what to do with this growing list. You may want to make one list and post it where you see it often. Then make a second list and circle your three weakest areas to focus on. Another idea is to use the list for twelve family or personal devotions.

So far, we’ve seen that Daniel was: Holy, In the world but not of the world, Wise, Humble, Friendly and Compassionate. Today, we add Thankful.

The executioner of the wise men came calling. Daniel wisely buys time. The four teenage friends hit their knees, begging the God of heaven for compassion and the sparing of their young lives. God comes through, big time! What would be their very mature response? Daniel said, “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding. It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness and the light dwells with Him. To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for You have given me wisdom and power; even now You have made known to me what we requested of You for You have made known to us the king’s matter” (Daniel 2:19 and 23a).

He was thankful, not bitter, even though he had been kidnapped and exiled, his whole life turned upside down, his plans shattered. Daniel obviously had a thankful heart despite his very negative circumstances that is ready to erupt in praise and thanksgiving when given occasion. He likely saw himself as Uncle Mordecai saw Esther’s role in the Persian empire – placed there by God for “just such a time as this.”

Once again, we read in Daniel’s life the preface to the person and life of Jesus Christ. Consider this. The Son of God was the Father’s Agent in creation of all food sources. Right? “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth … all things have been created through Him and for Him” (Col. 1:16). Yet, even the Son of God gave thanks for food, for the loaves, the fish, and the fruit of the vine (see Mat. 15:36, Luke 22:19 and Mat. 26:27). By the way, it’s probably not accurate for us to give the blessing at a meal. We return thanks and ask for the blessing that only God can give on what God has brought forth from the earth.

Consider this. The Son communed with the Father for eternity, prior to the incarnation. He is the eternal Word made flesh. And as Christ and the perfect Man, He met every qualification for answered prayer, like faith, obedience and praying according to the will of God. And yet in John 11:41 we read this at the tomb of Lazarus, as Jesus was about to raise him from the dead: And Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You heard Me.”

Consider this. Jesus was rejected by religious leaders and the establishment as a whole. His whole life was as an exile in a foreign land. But did He get bitter and lose sight of thankfulness? Not on your life! He even praised God in the midst of opposition, knowing the hand of God was ultimately in control of even the opposition to His message. You can check it out in MAT 11:25-27. Jesus was able to praise and thank God even when people hated Him!

So, we find Jesus Giving thanks for everything from fish, bread and wine to answered prayer to God’s sovereignty over whom He reveals Himself to. That’s a good example to us and a very wide spectrum indeed.

We ask for much, do we return to give thanks? We are daily given variegated blessings we don’t deserve – do we routinely stop to say thank you? You’ve prayed for certain things as a church. Have you acknowledged God’s perfect and good answer? Ten lepers were cleansed, only one returned to give thanks. Let us be in the minority beloved!