SOME STRIKING THOUGHTS

“And the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, has thou not glorified,” Daniel 5:23. Reader I do have some thoughts to share with you today (after the good harvest of holidays we have had recently, and the pensive or thoughtful time we have been having at home).

By the grace of God I also turned 72 over this holiday season, and had much reason to stop and think; not just any thoughts reader; but thoughts that really struck my heart.

First, I came across the above lines of scripture; which are the prophetic words of Daniel in the country of Babylon. In these prophetic words of rebuke, Daniel told prideful King Belshazzar that he had glorified himself, adding that ‘and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, has thou not glorified’.

What a reminder reader! That our every breath is in the hand of God; every breath is released by God. And we are told that on average, a person at rest takes about 16 breaths per minute. This means that we breathe about 960 breaths an hour, and 23 040 breaths per day; each and every breath ‘in His hand’. He was careful that we were not born dead; in His mercy, He gave us our first breath; and in His goodness He sustains us  through every breath of our mouths; the same mouths by which we mock and blaspheme Him.

Daniel was also reminding Belshazzar that his (Belshazzar) ways belonged to God; that it was God who made his ways possible; that he himself was unable to do the things he was doing; that he himself was not able to have what he had; but that he owed all that he had achieved to God; the God ‘whose are all thy ways’. He was telling Belshazzar that his journey in life was in fact made possible by God but instead of glorifying God, he had celebrated himself. What a reminder to me and you today reader!

reminding

This brought other humbling thoughts to my mind; thoughts over the words spoken by Moses to the children of Israel. He was exhorting and strongly reminding them in these words: “When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee,” Deut.8:10. And I started thinking reader, how difficult it is to think about God when our stomachs are full; when we start driving new cars; when all our bills are paid, and there is still some money left in our bank accounts; when we drive to Johannesburg and back without a breakdown, and to Durban and back without a hijack; when all our children are at school, and none is in hospital, prison or in a drug rehabilitation centre. How often do we bless the Lord our God?

remember

Moses also said; “And thou say in thine heart, my power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth,” Deut.8:18. He was reminding Israel then, and is reminding us today, that the power to get wealth comes from God; so that if the power we use to get wealth does not come from God, our wealth is not wealth. And we are also taught in Proverbs 8:18 that “Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.”

That, reader, means that Godless riches bring no honour; that there will be millionaires with honour and millionaires without honour; riches without honour! What a striking thought reader. And this word also declares that durable and lasting riches come only from God; so that riches that do not come through Godly ways don’t last long; they are ‘fleeting riches’, ngemalahle.

Reader thank you for allowing me to share this Word of God and these thoughts with you, which I do in the hope that they will generate some helpful thoughts with you too.

Do have a wonderful weekend.

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