Daniel didn't close his window because praying with it open was simply what he always did. He had served kings all his life and had never once stopped praying. When a new law said no one could pray to anyone but the king, Daniel went home, opened his windows toward Jerusalem, and knelt down three times a day, exactly as he always had. He didn't make a show of it, and he didn't hide it either. He just kept going.
What the story actually shows
The story doesn't tell us every thought in Daniel's head, so we can't say for sure what he was feeling at his window. But it shows us what he did, and that is a lot. Jealous officials tricked the king into signing the law. Daniel knew about it. He still went home and prayed the way he had every other day.
It's a quiet kind of courage. Daniel didn't argue or run away. He stayed faithful in an ordinary habit, even when it was suddenly dangerous.
The night in the den
Daniel was thrown to the lions. The king, who had never wanted this, could not sleep all night. In the morning he hurried to the den, and Daniel called up that God had sent an angel and shut the lions' mouths.
The story's memory verse sums up what the king and Daniel came to say about God:
"He is the living God, enduring forever. He delivers and rescues; He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth." (Daniel 6:26-27)
Why it matters for kids
Children know what it is to feel the pressure to go along with everyone else. This story gives them a gentle picture of someone who stayed steady. It doesn't say that trusting God means nothing scary will happen. It shows that God was with Daniel in the scary place, and that Daniel's prayer wasn't something he only did when it was easy.
Talk about it together
- Why do you think Daniel kept his window open? What would you have done?
- Daniel prayed the same way every day. What is something you do every day that helps you remember God?
Try asking before you share any answer of your own. Kids often surprise us.
The whole story, read aloud and illustrated, is waiting in the app. It comes in four age levels, with a song, a memory verse, and coloring pages after. You can find Daniel and the Lions' Den here, and the video that started this question is on our TikTok page.
