Do you know God's presence?

At the beginning of Chapter 5 of Daniel we meet a different king of Babylon, Belshazzar. He is the last king of Babylon and is having a massive party, getting carried away, and he has begun to drink from the vessels from the jewish temple when this happens;

'5*Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote. *6*Then the king’s colour changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together. *7* The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. 

Daniel 5:5–7.

That is rather scary, right?! 

A floating, disembodied hand, writing on the wall right in the midst of this raucous celebration. King Belshazzar may have considered that he was seeing things, or maybe that he had drunk too much…..but clearly it was no magic trick, no figment of the imagination - It was so real that he could not explain away what he saw as his whole body responded in shock; Trembling, falling, looking as if he would faint. What a change from the pompous, proud, partying king that was lavishly celebrating and cavorting with those present! From the centre of celebration, the host is transformed into a quivering wreck. 

What a change this brought upon the celebration too. Suddenly all the fun and feasting disappears in a moment and horror has been exchanged for enjoyment. I wonder what the other people present must have thought as they saw the ghostly shock of the king, and heard his terrified cries for help. To see the king suddenly in this state would have been disturbing and require urgent action. Such an out of character response as an unknown terror had struck the king’s heart and mind. Something had to be done, but there was no-one present that could help relieve Belshazzar’s troubled mind. They might have offered comforting words, attempted to placate him, or offer him another drink, but no-one there could solve the puzzle of the writing or soothe the fright. So, the king rightly acknowledges that he needs outside help. There’s no-one in his immediate sphere, even though there are over a thousand people present, who can help resolve this matter, and he knows that he will not feel alright until this mystery is solved.

It is probably quite difficult for us to imagine being in the same situation - I do not expect many or any of us to see a floating hand writing on the wall. God clearly did this to get Belshazzar's attention. It may extreme, but it was necessary as God knows that Belshazzar would need conclusive evidence that there is another world outside the one he had built. A kingdom that is higher and capable of impossible things like a disembodied hand writing on the wall.

So, my question for you today is; are you aware of God's presence? or does God have to perform extreme things for you to see Him?

God does and will perform signs, wonders and miracles - are you seeing them? Do you expect them? Or are you someone that explains things away in your own mind so that they do not seem supernatural, but natural consequences? Are you waiting for your own writing on the wall experience in order to truly believe?

Value your life

Some instructions from Solomon, the wisest King of Israel:

*7*Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. 
*8*Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head. 
*9*Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. *10*Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going. 
Ecclesiastes 9:7–10.

This passage may seem like a simple list of values, they are quite basic elements of life really. But, maybe Solomon is encouraging us to go back to basics to get the most out of the ‘vain life’ we have here on Earth. Sometimes it is the little things that effect us most either by their presence or absence. Amongst these verses I had 10 thoughts about what Solomon is advising us to do. Consider as you read them - Do you apply them to your own life? What difference would it make if you did?

1. ‘Go, eat your bread with joy’  - Be content. Give your body what it needs, and appreciate that you have it. Enjoy nourishing your body. If your body is satisfied then this can effect your mental and emotional state too. Take care of the body God has given you, and enjoy doing it.

2. ‘drink your wine with a merry heart' - Enjoy what you have. Set your heart and mind to be appreciative, grateful. Take pleasure in the simple things.

3. ‘God has already approved what you do’ - Quit worrying. You are approved and accepted. There is no need to worry about what you have/haven’t done, you are already accepted and valued just as you are. You are who you are meant to be so have confidence.

4. ‘Let your garments be always white’ - Be innocent. Don’t do things you are unsure of, don’t be compromised, but lead a life that is free from reproach. Live in innocence, don’t get entangled in things you know or suspect are not right.

5.  ‘Let not oil be lacking on your head’ - Hold your head up high, know your own righteousness, don’t live feeling guilty, but live forgiven and free from sin. You are anointed, you have been set apart and are of value and worth. Live life knowing that.

6. ‘Enjoy life with the wife whom you love’ - Enjoy your family and appreciate marriage. Take time to have fun with your family. Play games, go out, be silly and have a good time with your spouse, and if you don’t have one, do the the same with those who are important to you.

7. ‘Enjoy life….. because that is your portion in life’ - You have one life, so live it, enjoy what you have, eat, drink and be merry - take opportunities to stretch, challenge and have fun. God gave us this life that we may live, not so that we could be dull and bored, but He has given much to be enjoyed - don’t get so busy or distracted that you miss out on that joy.

8. ‘that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun’ - Your spouse and family are given to you to give you relief and enjoyment in the trouble of life. Marriage can be hard work, but it can also be enjoyed. The hard work of married life will be of benefit for the rest of your life. You have been given the family situation you are in for a reason. It may seem like hard work at times, but it can also keep you going in the toil of employment and life in general.

9. ‘Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might’ - Work hard. Don’t hold back, don’t cut corners, have integrity. Work hard at what you have the opportunity to do right now. It may not be the dream job, the end goal, but don't lose focus of the value of what you have in your hands to do now. Do it and do it well.

10. ‘there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.’ - Ahhh, this passage ends with the joyous thought that we are going to die! One day this life will be over so appreciate what you’ve got whilst you’ve got it; Use the; imagination, knowledge and wisdom God has given you whilst you’ve got it. One day it will be too late to do so.

In summary - enjoy the life God has given you, appreciate all the parts that make up your life and know your value in it. Don't hold back in employment, family life or having fun!