"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Monday, 31 October 2016 with Scripture Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18

"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Monday, 31 October 2016 with Scripture Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18

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Daniel 7:1 In the first year of Belshatzar king of Bavel, Dani’el had a dream and visions in his head, as he was lying on his bed. He wrote the dream down, and this is his account:
2 “I had a vision at night; I saw there before me the four winds of the sky breaking out over the great sea, 3 and four huge animals came up out of the sea, each different from the others.
15 “As for me, Dani’el, my spirit deep within me was troubled; the visions in my head frightened me. 16 I approached one of those standing by and asked him what all this really meant. He said that he would make me understand how to interpret these things. 17 ‘These four huge animals are four kingdoms that will arise on earth. 18 But the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, yes, forever and ever.’[Complete Jewish Bible]
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It's no surprise to me that Daniel is a little shaken up after his visions. That little section our reading skips over from verses 4-14 is filled with those beasts devouring everything in their paths, spewing arrogance and one who finally comes to take over with an everlasting rule. Daniel isn't sure what to make of this terrifying and confusion vision, so he asks an "attendant" who helps make the message clear.
Who are your "attendants"? Who helps give you a sense of clarity in your life? Who is present with you as you sort out your faith and what it means for your life? As we celebrate this holy night and the approaching All Saints Day, how can you honor those who have been and are "attendants" in your life?
Thank you, God, for the people who have gone before me and those who stand beside me on this journey of faith. May I listen to their wisdom and hear your voice through them. Amen.
Amanda Kempthorne, '09
Pastor, Lord of Life Lutheran Church, North Pole, Ala. 
Daniel 7:1 In 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:
2 I, Daniel, saw in my vision by night the four winds of heaven stirring up the great sea,
3 and four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another...
15 As for me, Daniel, my spirit was troubled within me, and the visions of my head terrified me.
16 I 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:
17 "As for these four great beasts, four kings shall arise out of the earth.
18 But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever--forever and ever."[New Revised Standard Version]
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