Just as he had done before.

I read the other night again through the last chapters of Daniel, from 6 on. We know the story.. Daniel prays and gets thrown into the Lions Den and survives unscratched. But Ive skipped over a few poignant words in this story many times.. 6:10 "giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before".
See the pattern of prayer and thanksgiving has to be in place as a discipline of life.. because the hard times do come and the tests and persecution can be expected. The discipline to hold to the truth is there because He, our Father, has proven Himself over and over.
Eric Ludy calls it tensile strength.. the pressure a material can handle before it deforms, ie rope, metal etc. Tensile is strength is measured in adding weight a bit at a time.. and in the life of Daniel, his tensile strength was surely put to the test when he faced the Lions! But it had been grown in the quiet places of secret devotion, prayer and thanksgiving.. the who knows how many days and years before he faced the miracle.
For me as a mum... today Im tired. Tensile strength. Im learning I can cope with much less sleep than I deem necessary. I remember when Tim had colic and I was thrust into sleepless nights where day and night he would scream for 2hrs, every few hours. During those first couple of exhausting months, I felt I would go insane with fatigue and stress. Tensile strength.. by Gods grace I coped. I wouldnt want to repeat them in a heartbeat, but God used them to strengthen in me an awareness that BY HIS GRACE AND ENERGY we can get through the days to come.. like that song "because He lives, I can face tomorrow". God, may your abounding strength and joy be the sustenance of my day.. be to me my daily bread. Grow in me a backbone that is not my own.