The story of Daniel in the Lion’s Den is a good one. Daniel’s only crime is that he refused to worship the king as a god and instead remained faithful to the one true God. Those around him are jealous, so they devise the plan to trap him so they can get him out of the way. The plan is simple: have the king issue an edict that, for one month, it’s illegal—punishable by death—to pray to any other god except himself. Daniel doesn’t make a fuss about it, but he disobeys the edict. Scripture tells us that he went to his room, shut the door, and there prayed to the one true God. However, those who want to get rid of him burst in while he is praying and report it to the king, who, because of the edict, has no choice but to throw Daniel into the lions’ den, and he does.
Today, in our Gospel reading, we hear Jesus say, “Blessed are you,” followed by the poor, the hungry, those who weep, and those who are hated. Then, he says, “Woe to you who” are rich, full, laughing, and spoken well of. Those who are blessed and those who are cursed seem to be upside down. “Excuse me, Jesus, but it is the fat and happy that are blessed.” But, no, it is the other way around. Hearing the story of Daniel, we might think,
“Woe to you who are cast to the lions,
for you will experience weeping and gnashing of teeth!”
But instead, in the upside-down version, it is
“Blessed are you who are cast to the lions,
for you shall be protected by God.”
So, if that is the case, what does it mean to be “blessed?”
It is very common for someone with a good life—nice car, house, white picket fence, fat checking account, etc.—to say, “I am so blessed.” However, it’s quite rare to hear someone who has just been diagnosed with cancer say, “I am so blessed.” Why? Because we most often understand being blessed as those things outside ourselves. But, those visible, tangible things are actually only signs of being blessed. Everyone knows that if you are rich, God has blessed you, and if you are poor, well, you’d best be getting straight with God. Right? Wrong. So, if being blessed isn’t about external signs, then what is it?
Moses and the Israelites wandered in the desert. God finally called them and sent them to the Holy Land, but Moses was afraid of the enemies they would face and other trials. So the Lord said to Moses, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Moses, wanting to be sure, responded, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here.” Unless you truly mean it, don’t send us, because without you, we are doomed. “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.’”
“My presence will go with you.” There are many external signs of what it means to be blessed by God, but the greatest blessing is the very presence of God. God did not tell Moses that it would be easy. God told Moses that he would be with him and the Israelites. God did not tell Daniel that being in exile, living among and serving a foreign people, and being thrown into the lions’ den would be easy, but Daniel trusted in God’s promise—Daniel trusted that God would be present.
With this understanding, even on the darkest days, you can say, “I am blessed,” because regardless of the circumstances, God is with you. The Lord told Joshua, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) If you need more proof, simply remember His name: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:23)
Candle in a Cave 