So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions, the king spoke, saying to Daniel, "Your God, whom you serve continuously, He will deliver you."

Daniel 6:16 NKJV

Here is a story familiar to every Sunday School child.  Daniel is thrown into the den of lions.  What usually isn't as well known is that Daniel was probably an old man when this happened.  The pictures usually picture a young man.  The king had issued a decree, upon the advice of his wicked advisors, that anyone who petitioned another man or a God other than the king was to be put to death.  Daniel had been in the habit of praying, facing Jerusalem, thrice daily.  The new law did not change him.  It did however change his legal status so to speak.  The king did not want to give Daniel the death sentence, but he had no choice because the law could not be revoked, even by the king himself.  In the verse above the king tells Daniel that his(that is Daniel's) God would deliver him.  Interestingly this pagan king seemed to have more faith in the God of Israel than most in Israel itself did.  Jesus would make the same comment about the response of gentiles to him in the gospels as compared to the response from his own countrymen.  But, how did the king know Daniel's God would deliver him?  Perhaps he had heard the story of Daniel's three friends when faced with their own death sentence under Nebuchadnezzer.  Perhaps he heard the story of the handwriting on the wall that had foretold his own conquest of Babylon.  But perhaps it was Daniel's lifestyle and example in front of the king.  It was one thing to pray three times daily when it was legal, but quite another thing when it brought the sentence of death along with it.  Daniel's faith was obviously genuine.  The scripture also tells us that the king's evil advisors hated Daniel but could find nothing that he had done wrong, which is why they had the king make the decree that he did.  Daniel lived a pure and holy life, which bore witness to the God to whom he prayed.  Daniel's religion didn't end when he exited the church so to speak.  To quote one old country preacher, he had the using kind of religion, not the meeting house kind.  It has been said that a Christian's life may be the only Bible some people ever read and the only sermon they will ever hear.  What are they reading and hearing from you? from me?  As Saint Francis of Assisi once said, "Preach the Gospel........use words if necessary."