Have you ever
been confronted with something that foreshadowed a future event? For example
could you look at the behavior of animals before a storm was approaching? Or
could you tell a relationship would turn sour before you dived in headfirst?
We've all been faced with signs that we have all looked over for one reason or
another. We often find it hard to trust our gut instincts although we know it's
the right thing to do. Honestly, when has your gut instinct ever stirred you
wrong? Ok, when has God ever stirred you wrong??? He hasn't.
Today's reading
in Daniel chapter 5 focuses on King Belshazzar (King Belsh), the son of King
Nebuchadnezzar (King Neb), and his encounter with the writing on the wall.
King Belsh can be seen drinking wine and praising materialistic gods in
celebration. He is no different than the rest of us. King Belsh praised the god
of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. We praise music artists,
sneakers, clothes, money, and food. Often times we don't feel complete without
something to show for which in today's society seems to rely heavily on money.
What we fail to realize is that these material things that we find time to
praise eventually fades away. However, God's love and power is constant. Are
you like King Belsh in that you turn away from God and worship idols that were
not made to love you back?
What happens when
we get beside ourselves when God blesses us? He can swiftly take it all away in
a heartbeat. He can even instill in us fear...fear to the point where that's
all we need to straighten up our act. We've all been there. I remember I was in
college and partying too hard and straying too far and God had to pull the
reigns on me. Now that I'm older I can understand the importance of his love
for me in that he had to humble me down from who I wanted to be into who HE
wanted me to be. I believe that his love for me (even when I didn't acknowledge
him) saved my life and led me to place that I'm at with him right now.
So what happened
when King Belsh was interrupted by fear in the midst of his celebration? The
scriptures say that fingers of a human appeared and wrote on the plaster. When
the hand did, the King's face turned pale and of course all types of fear
overcame him. The only person who could read this message was Daniel because he
was filled with the Holy Spirit. Daniel's ability to have visions interpreted
by God reminds me of an intervention. Have you ever had an intervention or saw
one on television? The ones who have to have one never want to face their
problems but it's the people who are around them and love them who realize how
important an intervention would be in order to save their life. That's what God
was doing for King Belsh. He had to scare him just enough to warn him and to
inform him how far removed he was becoming from Christ. We never want to get to
that point where pride consumes our every thought. Life with God isn't always
easy, however I'd rather live a life with him than without him.
Do you pay
attention to the signs that God gives to others around you? There is this
saying that an ounce of experience is more than a pint of advice. I believe
this to be true in some aspects, however I'm a firm believer that everything
does not have to be experienced in order to teach me a lesson. I have been able
to learn from others and I thank them for being great teachers. For example, my
mother is a single parent and although she does an amazing job at being the
strongest mother known to man, that is something that I don't want for myself. In
addition, I have friends with children and although there is nothing bad about
it (most of them are extraordinary parents), that is something that I don't
want for myself right now. I feel like I have witnessed the struggles and if
some things/experiences can be avoided then I will try to avoid them and take
alternative routes. Some things I would just rather be more established to
experience but that's my own take on life.
King Belsh
refused to pay attention to the shortcomings of his father King Neb. According
to the scriptures, "But
when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed
from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. 21 He
was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the
wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew
of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over
all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes. (Daniel 5:20-21).
When King Neb became so far removed from God he was punished and humbled; he
went from a King to essentially a homeless man. The same thing happened to King
Belsh. He refused to humble himself as well and did not learn from the
experience of his father. In response, God numbered his days and, "That
very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was
slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at
the age of sixty-two." (Daniel 5:31).
Sometimes we need
a constant reminder of who is in control of our lives. It isn't silver, gold,
clothes, money, or even music. GOD IS AND WILL ALWAYS BE IN CONTROL. My prayer
is that we will all open our eyes and pay attention to The Writings on the Wall
that God gives us. Don't let pride become your downfall. Live life with God at
the forefront and learn from the experiences of others in the process.
It's Never Too Late To Transform Your Tuesdays :)
Transforming Tuesday: Jamera
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