Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.” (Daniel 10:12)
Ever since I removed and replaced the rear wheel of my old Craftsman Riding Lawn Mower, something was wrong. The engine ran enthusiastically, but the mower would not move. Reverse and forward no longer worked. Vroom, vroom, vroom, but no movement.
But I did not give up. I knew that somehow that Craftsman would work. It had to be something simple, practical, and obvious. I believed in that lawn mower. I kept trying, from time to time. I kept searching, consulting the internet, my experience, and experts.
And eventually I found the answer. A small piece of metal that had fallen off when I had replaced the wheel. It was obvious once I was given good advice. And now that old lawn mower roars and cuts and levels.
Somehow, though, I never really doubted. I had trust in the reality of the practical side of the lawn mower. I had faith that the answer was not ‘out there,’ but was just beyond my eyes and understanding.
Daniel had even bigger faith.
Daniel did not fear, but not due to a passive, doormat sort of faith. He KNEW that God’s truth was absolute. And so Daniel prayed hopefully… asked optimistically… spoke actively… and never doubted that SOMEHOW, SOMETIME, God would make the frightening reality of exile make sense.
“Fear not,” did not mean for Daniel to relax in boring sleepy nothingness. “Fear not,” for Daniel meant actively searching, KNOWING that the answer is just out of sight. “Fear not,” for Daniel meant a passionate hope that the mysteries of life were about to be made clear. “Fear not,” for Daniel meant confidence that Daniel did not need to know all things yet… but that Daniel had nothing to be afraid of.
And that God would make all things clear.
And this is true for us, too. When life seems more chaotic than orderly… when problems fill our horizons… when the news is scary, and dark, and unsure… imitate Daniel. Pray for understanding and TRUST that God’s truth IS truth.
That kind of faith leads to knowledge.
Fear not, because God’s truth is coming.