Devotion - Thursday, April 16

Have you ever heard a reference to "feet of clay"?  It is often used as a way to speak of rulers or nations which seem to be strong, but have a weak foundation.  The reference comes from Daniel 2.

This is the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar.  He sees a mighty image, with a head of gold and a chest of silver, thighs of bronze, legs of iron.  But the feet are a mixture of iron and clay (two substances which don't mix well or hold together).  Thus a stone is able to smash those feet and the head of gold and legs of iron fall.

I was on a backpacking trip in my college days and a hiking partner mused about our ankles.  "You look to see how well the pack is carried; what sort of sun protection is being used; if the person is overweight - but when it comes right down to what matters it is the ankles what have to support all the weight and adjust as you step over rough places and navigate uneven trails."

King Nebuchadnezzar felt secure in his head of gold, but he had come to realize that the image needed not only a glorious capstone but also solid feet.  He dreamed this; and Daniel interpreted the dream for him.

I hope and pray you never dream this same dream; but we can learn from it.  We can come to realize that all the glorious crowns in the world cannot persevere unless the feet are equal to the task.

Nebuchadnezzar was thinking of kingdoms and nations; we are primarily concerned with the life we have been given.  Will we make sure that the crowning head is supported by a strong foundation?  Will we pay attention to what lies at the base of our lives, rather than those parts which are most often seen and championed?

The stone that brings down Nebuchadnezzar's figure becomes a great mountain in his dream.  Daniel tells him that this stone is the kingdom which the "God of heaven will set up".  This small stone becomes the mountain upon which we can build our lives.