Reading: Daniel 5
My Verse: "He was fed grass like an ox,
and his body was wet with the dew of heaven,
until he knew that the Most High God
rules the kingdom of mankind
and sets over it whom He will.
And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart,
though you knew all this,
you have lifted up yourself against the LORD of heaven"
(Daniel 5:21-22)
LORD God of heaven You are not to be mocked! You will not let man go on forever in his wayward way. We each of us will answer for our sins if we do not humble our hearts and acknowledge You as LORD of our lives! We each of us will be Numbered Numbered Weighed and Divided!
The most telling phrase in this passage is "though you knew all this."
King Nebuchadnezzar's humbling and acknowledgment of You, LORD was very public. So it is interesting that Daniel seems to have been forgotten and the Queen Mother had to step in and remind the king of him. It is also interesting that the other "wise men of Babylon" did not refer to Daniel.
Does this speak to how very quickly we forget You, LORD God? How very quickly we shut You out because we want to indulge our selfish base desires?
It has been alarming to watch our society sway away from Your precepts, LORD God. A verse I love and have tried to keep foremost in my mind is Ephesians 4:29.
"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths,
but only such as is good for building up,
as fits the occasion,
that it may give grace to those who hear."
I understand the need for us to be honest with one another but the way our speech has degenerated is truly sad and certainly does not follow the direction of this verse. It has become popular to swear. Many terms once considered rude have become part of common language, used in almost all speech. Even those in public leadership positions have begun to use foul language or speak in rude ways.
This is just one of the societal trends that sway from Your precepts, LORD God. How sad that we find the need to follow societal trends like this. We march lock step in these patterns of behavior because we are so immersed in it through the media and society at large.
This is why I love the story of Daniel and his friends. They show how it is possible to live within an ungodly society and still hold to You and Your truths. And they did not hide away. They were put into positions of leadership but were still able to live noble and honorable lives.
You, LORD God, tell us,
"You are the salt of the earth." (Matthew 5:13)
"You are the light of the world." (Matthew 5:14)
You tell us that we are to live intentional, purposeful lives.
"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and
and with all your soul and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:5).
". . . pray without ceasing . . ." (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
You tell us we are to protect our personal integrity.
"Do all things without grumbling or disputing,
that you may be blameless and innocent,
children of God without blemish in the midst of a
crooked and twisted generation,
among whom you shine as lights in the world" (Philippians 2:14-15).
"But be doers of the word,
and not hearers only,
deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22).
You tell us we are to strive to be sinless.
"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body,
to make you obey its passions.
Do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness,
but present yourselves to God as those
who have been brought from death to live,
and your members to God as instruments for righteousness . . .
Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good"
(Romans 6:12-13, 12:9).
Thank you for this amazing story of Your power and love!
Thank You, LORD God, for the example of men such as Daniel. We need so often to be reminded to hold to You and Your truths or we too will be "numbered, numbered, weighed and divided!"
Didat Deus - God Enriches!
My Verse: "He was fed grass like an ox,
and his body was wet with the dew of heaven,
until he knew that the Most High God
rules the kingdom of mankind
and sets over it whom He will.
And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart,
though you knew all this,
you have lifted up yourself against the LORD of heaven"
(Daniel 5:21-22)
LORD God of heaven You are not to be mocked! You will not let man go on forever in his wayward way. We each of us will answer for our sins if we do not humble our hearts and acknowledge You as LORD of our lives! We each of us will be Numbered Numbered Weighed and Divided!
The most telling phrase in this passage is "though you knew all this."
King Nebuchadnezzar's humbling and acknowledgment of You, LORD was very public. So it is interesting that Daniel seems to have been forgotten and the Queen Mother had to step in and remind the king of him. It is also interesting that the other "wise men of Babylon" did not refer to Daniel.
Does this speak to how very quickly we forget You, LORD God? How very quickly we shut You out because we want to indulge our selfish base desires?
It has been alarming to watch our society sway away from Your precepts, LORD God. A verse I love and have tried to keep foremost in my mind is Ephesians 4:29.
"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths,
but only such as is good for building up,
as fits the occasion,
that it may give grace to those who hear."
I understand the need for us to be honest with one another but the way our speech has degenerated is truly sad and certainly does not follow the direction of this verse. It has become popular to swear. Many terms once considered rude have become part of common language, used in almost all speech. Even those in public leadership positions have begun to use foul language or speak in rude ways.
This is just one of the societal trends that sway from Your precepts, LORD God. How sad that we find the need to follow societal trends like this. We march lock step in these patterns of behavior because we are so immersed in it through the media and society at large.
This is why I love the story of Daniel and his friends. They show how it is possible to live within an ungodly society and still hold to You and Your truths. And they did not hide away. They were put into positions of leadership but were still able to live noble and honorable lives.
You, LORD God, tell us,
"You are the salt of the earth." (Matthew 5:13)
"You are the light of the world." (Matthew 5:14)
You tell us that we are to live intentional, purposeful lives.
"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and
and with all your soul and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:5).
". . . pray without ceasing . . ." (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
You tell us we are to protect our personal integrity.
"Do all things without grumbling or disputing,
that you may be blameless and innocent,
children of God without blemish in the midst of a
crooked and twisted generation,
among whom you shine as lights in the world" (Philippians 2:14-15).
"But be doers of the word,
and not hearers only,
deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22).
You tell us we are to strive to be sinless.
"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body,
to make you obey its passions.
Do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness,
but present yourselves to God as those
who have been brought from death to live,
and your members to God as instruments for righteousness . . .
Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good"
(Romans 6:12-13, 12:9).
Thank you for this amazing story of Your power and love!
Thank You, LORD God, for the example of men such as Daniel. We need so often to be reminded to hold to You and Your truths or we too will be "numbered, numbered, weighed and divided!"
Didat Deus - God Enriches!
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