Edition 77
Den
Last Edition Recap
How have you applied the last edition to your life?
Opening Prayer
Lord, we often feel unsafe in our world, afraid of what might happen; teach us to seek You as our refuge and strength. Amen.
Introduction
As children, we played “Catches” – what others call tag. The rules were simple: whoever was “on” chased everyone else, trying to tag someone to transfer the burden. Once tagged, you became the new pursuer whilst your tagger joined the fleeing crowd. Round and round the game went, an endless cycle of predator and prey.
But there was one crucial element that changed everything: the DEN. When the catcher closed in, when capture seemed inevitable, you could sprint for this designated safe place. If you reached the den before being tagged, you became untouchable. The pursuer couldn’t tag you there. As long as you remained in the den, you were safe, forcing the catcher to redirect their attention to others still exposed in the open.
Three truths emerged from this simple game. First, when being chased, everyone scattered alone. It was every child for themselves, each running in different directions, each exposed and vulnerable. Second, when danger pressed too close, everyone ran to the same den. There, scattered individuals became a safe community. Third, the den offered more than physical safety – it provided absence of fear, space to recover, time to catch your breath before venturing back into danger with renewed strength.
This childhood game mirrors adult reality with startling accuracy. We scatter when life pursues us, each running our own direction, thinking we’re safer alone. We exhaust ourselves fleeing problems that never tire. We forget that somewhere, there’s a den – a place where the pursuer cannot touch us, where fear dissolves, where we can breathe again.
Chat Point 1
How would you describe the difference between running from problems alone versus running to a safe place?
What makes a place truly safe – is it the physical location or something deeper?
How do childhood games like tag prepare us for understanding spiritual truths?
What parallels exist between the den in children’s games and God’s role in our lives?
Why do we often choose to keep running instead of seeking refuge when pursued by life’s troubles?
Read
Daniel 6:1-28; Psalm 23
Key Focus
Daniel 6:16 – “So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, ‘May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!'”
Chat Point 2
What stood out for you about Daniel’s faithfulness even when facing literal lions?
How does Daniel’s den of lions become a place of safety whilst the palace becomes dangerous?
Who are the “catchers” in our society that pursue those faithful to God?
What effect does unwavering faithfulness to God have on those watching us face our “lions”?
How can the church function as a “den” for believers whilst still engaging with the world?
Final Thought
The irony of Daniel’s story strikes deep. They threw him into a den – but not the kind from our childhood games. This den housed lions, designed for execution, not escape. Yet for Daniel, this death trap became the safest place in the empire. Why? Because Daniel carried his true den with him: an unshakeable relationship with God. “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you,” the king said, recognising something profound – Daniel’s safety didn’t depend on location but on the One he served.
Augustine captured this truth: “Thou hast created us for Thyself, and our heart is not quiet until it rests in Thee.” We run frantically because we’re looking for physical dens whilst God offers Himself as our refuge. Psalm 23 paints the picture perfectly – even walking through death’s valley, we need not fear. Not because valleys aren’t dangerous, but because our Shepherd walks with us. His presence transforms any location into a den.
John Newton understood this through experience: “Through many toils, dangers and snares, I have already come; ‘Tis grace has brought me safe thus far and grace will lead me home.” The slave trader turned minister discovered that grace itself is the den. Not a place we run to, but a Person who runs with us, surrounds us, makes us untouchable even in lion’s dens.
The world offers many false dens – wealth, power, relationships, achievements. We run to them when life’s catchers pursue us. But they’re mirages. The stock market crashes, power corrupts, relationships fail, achievements fade. These aren’t dens; they’re just different parts of the playing field. Only God provides true sanctuary where fear cannot follow.
Consider how Daniel’s faithfulness affected King Darius. After witnessing God’s protection in the den, the pagan king issued a decree that all must “fear and reverence the God of Daniel.” One person’s trust in God as their den transformed an entire empire’s understanding of divine protection. When we stop running scattered and afraid, when we publicly rest in God as our refuge, the watching world takes notice.
The childhood game taught us to run to the den when pursued. Adult faith teaches us to remain in the Den always. Not physically hiding from the world, but spiritually hidden in Christ whilst engaging the world. The catchers still chase – illness, financial crisis, relationship breakdown, professional failure. But we’ve learned the secret: we don’t have to outrun them. We just need to stay in the Den.
My Action
What key insight or learning from this session resonates most with me, and what do I sense God is inviting me to do in response?
Shared Prayer
What are your prayer requests?
Closing Prayer
Dear God, thank You for being our safe place where fear cannot follow; keep us close to You, our eternal Den. Amen.
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In-Between Chats: Personal Reflection
What “catchers” are currently pursuing you, and how can you stop running alone and seek God’s refuge?
How might your visible trust in God as your “den” impact those watching you face difficulties?
What practical steps can you take this week to remain in God’s presence rather than exhausting yourself running?
Edition Writer: Rev Kevin Zondagh
Methodist Minister, Personal Development Specialist, Life Coach, Relationship Coach and Executive Coach. Founder and Owner of Exemplar Coaching Pty Ltd and CoffeeChatConnect. "We should have the desire to custom design the only life we have. After-all, we buy designer everything. How much more should we Live by Design, not by default?"