[From the original version]

Though we can be inspired by another’s faith, there comes a point when faith needs to become one’s own. Nebuchadnezzar is moved by the faith of Daniel and his friends in the power of the God of Israel, but the King has not come to personal faith and abandon. His is self-centered. The Lord confronts him about this in the dream that comes to him in the night, brought to the light of day by Daniel.

Notice familiar themes about exalting self and being humbled. Recall the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11, the Parable of the Rich Fool in Luke 12:13, ff., as well as themes being read in Proverbs. The Lord accepts no substitutes; God wants the “real thing.” Place God at the center of your world and give God alone the glory. If you find that you are being humbled by some event or by some person, then give God even more praise.

[From the version for families with children]

Slowly, but surely, a King who was God’s enemy for being so proud, gradually comes around and worships the one true God.  But look at all the King of Babylon had to go through before he surrendered his whole being to praise, reverence and adore God!  

The key to the King’s growth was in Daniel, the humble young man open to God who gave the king the meaning of the king’s dreams.  I hope you enjoy this chapter just as the last ones.  Daniel continues to be a model for the king of how humility and giving oneself to God are the ways to win.  Doesn’t this sound something like an example of the reading from yesterday?  The king, who wanted to be first, turns out to be last of all.  While he’s eating grass like a cow, he finally comes to his senses.  There’s a story in the Gospel of Luke chapter 15 that has a similar message; you might like to look it up.

Take the last verse of the chapter, verse 37.  It would be a good idea to memorize that verse and let it be with you all this day so that you too can learn in your own way what the King of Babylon had to learn the hard way.  

Daniel 4 

Mondays are dedicated to the reading of the Hebrew Prophets.
In the season of Kingdomtide this year, we read the Book of Daniel.

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…

For all the Firestarters I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or tablet. Check the menu options at the site for more information.

[From the version for families with children]

Can you imagine being in a race and wanting to take last place?  It doesn’t make too much sense, does it! But Jesus says that the last place in his Kingdom is really the first. 

The world says that getting ahead is the thing to do. Being promoted in a company often makes people proud, for they have lots of people under them that they can tell what to do. Jesus’s disciples get caught in this type of thinking, wondering who is the most important among them in Jesus’s kingdom.  Jesus notices his friends talking quietly among themselves on the road about who is the greatest; they are trying to keep their voice down so that Jesus can’t hear.  

Listen to the strong words of Jesus about all that competition going on—all that selfish thinking that his disciples got into.  What is it about being in the last place in his Kingdom that makes it so important to Jesus?  Who does Jesus use as an example to show what he means? Will you do something this day and this week that will show that you’re catching on to Jesus’s teaching in this reading?

Mark 9:30-37

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…

Sundays are dedicated to the Gospels from the Revised Common Lectionary.
In year B, we read from the Gospel of Mark

For all the Firestarters I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or tablet. Check the menu options at the site for more information.

[From the original version]

Autumn has always been a nostalgic time for me—smells, sounds of crunching leaves, fresh pencils and books for a new year of school. This sober, inward season is the setting when our Jewish brothers and sisters celebrate Rosh Hashana (September 7 and 8, 2021). It is a solemn beginning of a new year. Autumn is a season to meditate upon life and to discover the sacredness of time.

We have come to that place in Mark’s Gospel, which is the “autumn,” of Jesus’ earthly life. Jesus will be speaking about the End Times. It is the beginning of the end, which turns out to be a new beginning.

Today we flash back to Palm Sunday as Jesus, your King, rides into the heart of Jerusalem to take possession of God’s Kingdom. Walk beside the donkey.

[Paragraph from the version for families with children]

Jesus enters into Jerusalem in a flurry of glory—not unlike the colors that break out on the leaves before they fall and die.  Think of the branches of leaves that are placed beneath Jesus’s feet.  The crunching of leaves beneath our feet in this season can have us recall that moment of glory as Jesus enters into Jerusalem.  He will be crowned king there–not with a crown of gold, but one of thorns!  And there’ll be a different kind of throne too—the cross! 

Mark 11:1–14

Create your own Bible Breaths Learn More…

Fridays are dedicated to the Gospels. This year, we generally read
from the Gospel of Mark, this season, chapters 10 to 16.

For all the Firestarters in the original version I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or tablet. Check the menu options at the site for more information.