Once upon a time a guy’s car was getting repossessed. He asked the wrecker driver if there was anything he could do. The man told him he was authorized to receive his payment. “Well, will you take a check?” He said he would. “Well, I’ll just pay the thing off then.” Nothing was mentioned about there being no money in the account.
The world tells us, “If you want it, go for it!” If it feels good, do it. And money ain’t no problem. Just charge it or write a check! We think we need a new pickup, new boat, another horse or a new big screen we just buy it. Yep, we live in a material world. And the church is caught up right in the middle of it, as well. And if something or someone doesn’t come along to slap us on the back of the head, then, we will be in a heap of trouble.
It would seem our country needs a thump on the head. God still gives me a thump now and then.
But what does God want from me? We fail to notice a few things that really do matter.
Back in the Old Testament book of Daniel (ch.5), Belshazzar, king of Babylon, decided to throw a big party, kind of like John Wayne and friends did in McClintock. Rich food and deserts and… there was lots of wine. Yep, alcohol everywhere. They had the musical instruments playing; they had them exotic dancing girls, but that just wasn’t enough for Belshazzar!
Belshazzar ordered that his food and drink be served up in golden vessels taken from the Temple of Jerusalem. Now understand, these weren’t just any gold containers. These containers belonged to the house of God, but Belshazzar considered the worship of the God as foolishness. He didn’t care, so they filled them with wine.
His philosophy was materialism. His goal in life was to enjoy everything that could give pleasure never considering the cost.
Now this next part might kind of freak some of y’all out. A human hand appeared at the party and began writing on the wall. The fingers wrote: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. Belshazzar’s magic conjurers and interpreters, nobody had a clue how this “hand” could write. Nor did they understand “the writing on the wall.”
The queen reminded Belshazzar about Daniel and how he had interpreted dreams for his father. So Daniel gets invited in to look at the handwriting on the wall, and he agrees to interpret it. Because of Belshazzar’s actions regarding God and his holiness, Daniel told him that God sent the hand and this is what it means:
“Mene” - your days are numbered, “Tekel” – your have been weighed. “Pharsin” – you have been found wanting. Numbered, weighed, and found wanting, said the handwriting on the wall.
This is how God finds us if we obsess on the trivial and don’t turn our full attention to that with truly matters. You may consider yourself a pretty good cowboy, but without Christ, you will be found numbered, weighed, and wanting.
We, the church, must pay attention. We mustn’t have our own agenda. A church isn’t to be a private club! It’s His church! Let us all realize that the local church must be present to exist for a world without Christ. We are not to come together as a mutual admiration society club; we are to come together to pray for and give our all to a world that is broken and bleeding. We don’t do church for ourselves. Oh sure, we get a lot out of being in church proclaiming God and worshipping Him corporately and lift one another up in the Lord, and that’s important.
Be part of a church where you can serve others. It’s not about me. Belshazzar couldn’t look past himself, make sure you do!
Choose Jesus, choose life and let your light shine! And find a Bible believin’ church where you “fit in” and know, grow, and follow Christ! Tell others! See y’all at church and keep PRAYIN’ for HIS HARVEST! And hey, y’all let us all be of one accord and pray for some rain on this parched land! Amen!