Note from Valerie: This devotional was written by our Danette Lewis at FFBC. This is her very first devotional – and hopefully a promise of even more to come.
The Writing on the Wall
“Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The King watched the hand as it wrote. His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his knees knocked together and his legs gave way.” ~Daniel 5:5-6
Can you see the writing on the wall? Sometimes we can see it, but don’t understand it and sometimes we just ignore it completely. I mean, it’s my life isn’t it?
I have been a Christian all of my life. I was dedicated as a baby, accepted Christ at age 5 and was baptized at age 12. I was in AWANA and even became a leader when I was in High School. I even served in the nursery once a month. I’m not telling you this to impress you, I’m telling you this because even though I was involved with my church, I started making wrong choices in my life. I chose to do what I wanted instead of listening to what God wanted me to do. I even stopped going to church. I was a Christian already so I thought I didn’t have to go to church. Because I didn’t listen, I made some really bad choices. I wound up divorced twice and was beginning to wonder what I was doing wrong. I was pale and frightened. My knees knocked and gave way.
King Belshazzar chose to do what he wanted. He gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them. He gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar, his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem so that he, his nobles, his wives and his concubines could drink from them. As they drank, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.
Well, just then, the fingers appeared and wrote on the wall. The King was frightened and called for all of his wise men to read the writing on the wall and tell him what it meant. No one could tell the king what it meant and the King became more terrified and pale. The queen, hearing the voices came into the banquet hall. She told him not to be alarmed, that Daniel has a keen mind and knowledge. He can interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. So the King called for Daniel.
Daniel told the king that his father, Nebuchadnezzar was given greatness, glory and splendor by God. All the peoples feared him. But Nebuchadnezzar’s heart became arrogant and hardened with pride. He was stripped of his glory and was given the mind of an animal and lived with wild donkeys and ate grass, until he acknowledged that God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men.
Daniel also told the king that he hadn’t humbled himself, that he praised the gods of silver and gold, and that he did not honor God. Because of this, God sent the hand that wrote the inscription.
The inscription was:
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN
This is what these words mean:
Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.
Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.
That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians was slain.
I am so glad that God put writing on my wall. A dear friend invited me to her church and I went. I spent the morning crying because God met me where I was. The song, “Draw Me Close” was sung that morning. The words hit home. “You’re all I want, You’re all I ever needed. You’re all I want, help me know You are near.” Since that day I have asked God for forgiveness and repented. Best of all, He helped me forgive myself. (That’s the trick isn’t it?!) I was recently remarried to a wonderful man and now I have four children, my son and 3 step-daughters. I’ve learned to trust God again and I’m the happiest I’ve been in a long time.
My God, my Father,
Thank you for putting the writing on my wall and for sending my dear friend to help me understand it. I was on the path of Belshazzar and was doing things my way. Because of Your great love and compassion for me, You sent Your only Son to give His life for mine. He took my place so I won’t end up slain like Belshazzar. I am so thankful for the changes You’ve made in my life. Help me to continue to trust You and to be still and listen. I love you, Lord!
Amen.
Written by Danette Lewis
September 20, 2007