Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 (NRSV)
Read Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 7In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head as he lay in bed. Then he wrote down the dream: Verse 2I, Daniel, saw in my vision by night the four winds of heaven stirring up the great sea, Verse 3and four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another.
Verse 15As for me, Daniel, my spirit was troubled within me, and the visions of my head terrified me. Verse 16I approached one of the attendants to ask him the truth concerning all this. So he said that he would disclose to me the interpretation of the matter: Verse 17"As for these four great beasts, four kings shall arise out of the earth. Verse 18But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever-forever and ever."
Devotion
Daniel is taken from his home and lives in a foreign land under those who conquered his people. There he is shown a world view where “might makes right” and those in power cannot be questioned. Yet he knows a different view of reality that has been given to him by his people: where the strong serve those in need and all are welcome to the table. In his dream (verses 2-18) he is confronted with this tension and shown that the forces of vengeance and violence will give way to the Creator of everything.
We too live with that tension. We are surrounded by so many voices demanding that we live according to certain values, yet we also have been given a vision of the coming kingdom of the Creator and are tasked like Daniel with living faithfully according to that agenda and finding ways to proclaim that message in the middle of the complex world in which we live.
Prayer
Creator of everything, help us see how you break into the mess in which we live with love and care. Help us to embody your message in what we say and do among all we encounter. Amen.
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