Be Sure to Honor God

But the God in whose hand is your breath, you have not honored. (Daniel 5:23)

Daniel 5:17-28; Ps. 49:17; Isa. 5:14; John 5:44; I Pet. 1:25

What Is God Saying?

Our passage in Daniel ushers us into a scene of lavish splendor where the guests are reminded of the greatness of their young, sensual king. That was the reason for the banquet, and they knew which side their bread was buttered on. If the king reveled in being admired, who were they to deny him? He was a fool and had not learned from the tragic end of his unrepentant grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar, whose conscience was not touched before he became an animal and even ate grass. After that, he honored the God of Israel. But Belshazzar was young and vain.

Fools rush in! To impress the guests, he ordered vessels stolen from "the Temple of the House of God" by Nebuchadnezzar to adorn the table; how the gold and silver sparkled! How the guests were impressed! Why not use these sacred vessels to go out and drink to the idols? That would be the crowning touch. He was like a peacock, strutting over the edge. The crowd was impressed, but Belshazzar sealed his sudden doom with every sip that passed over his lips.

Daniel, with characteristic courage, confronted him with the sober truth, "You have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven, and the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored" (Daniel 5:23).

Like the fool who kept multiplying his barns in the New Testament, that very night, Belshazzar's soul was required of him. God controlled every breath he took, and still, he did not honor Him.

How Does This Apply To Us?

The breath of life is the gift of the Creator-God. Belshazzar had it as a gift and defied the honor of the One who gave it. It is not only young, impulsive, and bragging rulers of long ago who must honor God. Every person alive owes their next breath to God. God is the Source of life. Let us make Him the end, the reason, the purpose of our living. The Shorter Catechism says, "Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever." That is the foundation of prayer offered, and the certainty of prayer answered.

Pray With Me

Lord, my life seems remote from this story of the proud and willful Belshazzar. Yet I must learn now, as he had to know then, that every breath I take is in Your hand, and to live is to honor God. When every thought is in the interest of self-praise and wounded self-defense, you respond, "You are weighed in the balance and found wanting."

Each breath comes only because Your mighty hand reaches out in mercy. Let me not play the fool as did the blind and wicked king of old. Let me choose the course of wisdom. Let me put the accent on grateful love and praise.

I disavow the error and emptiness of all that does not lead to You. I affirm the beauty and truth of all that comes from You. You are the Source of Life. You are the reason for life. I begin to live when I make the Source of Life the end of life.

Since my very breath is in Your hand, O living God, let my whole life be to the praise the glory of Your grace. Since my breath is in Your hand, I shall use it to voice Your praise. A heart that gladly understands now willingly obeys.

For the sake of Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.

Moving On In The Life Of Prayer

We all pray that we may not be weighed in the balance and found wanting. Let us honor God by listening to, believing, and following His Word.

If we honor God, He will bless our prayers and lives more abundantly than we could ask or think.