Scripture: Daniel 10:2-5
At that time I, Daniel, had been mourning for three weeks. I had eaten no rich food, no meat or wine had entered my mouth, and I had not anointed myself at all, for the full three weeks. On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris), I looked up and saw a man clothed in linen, with a belt of gold from Uphaz around his waist.
Thought for the Day: Most religions have rituals of fasting and cleansing, simplicity and surrender. As I have said again and again, these are not for the purpose of convincing God that we are worthy of the divine love, but to make ourselves more available to the outpouring of this amazing gift. It appears that Daniel has put his body through a time of discipline, and during this experience, a vision came to him. Spiritual disciplines don’t guarantee an intense spiritual experience, but they make us more open to the possibility. Some people will view these activities in a negative way because they require the individual to give something up. Instead, we should view them as tried and true practices that provide so much more than what we are required to give.
Prayer: May the things I give up for my faith, O Lord, be eclipsed by the amazing gifts of grace and mercy that I discover anew. Amen.
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Praying For Your Church
For the People who are the church –
For the Ministries that are an expression of their faith –
For those who have yet to find their way into the cof unity.
