ESOCS Devotional 1 September 2021
TEXT: DANIEL 5:13-29
MEMORY VERSE: “But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this” (Daniel 5:22).
First, Daniel referred to the sin of pride and dishonouring God committed by the king’s father, Nebuchadnezzar. He reminded King Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar’s son, of the grievousness of this sin, for he had done worse than his father because he desecrated the vessels
taken from God’s house. The king, his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank wine from them; and he praised idols but did not glorify the Almighty God.
Daniel the man of God rejected king’s gifts because the king’s heart was not right with God, whom Daniel held in highest esteem, and worshipped with all faithfulness, commitment, and zeal.
Let us learn to worship God with a perfect heart. Like David, let us say, “I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way … I will walk within my house with a perfect heart” (Ps. 101:2 KJV). In all things, we should strive to be perfect, just as the Lord is perfect. He said to us, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your father who is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).
A perfect heart does not commit sin. It lives in the fear and love of God. It is mindful to walk in the ways that are acceptable to God. It turns away from all things that do not conform to the word of God. It is God-centred; it is Christ-centred; it is Holy Spirit centred; and it is centred on the word of God. We should strive to possess such a heart, for it is golden.
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSINS is a warning to us all that time is running out fast on unrepentant people. God’s judgement is fast approaching, and the end of the world is at hand. Let us imitate the Lord and be perfect as He is. That is all we need to do.
- How can you develop a humble spirit?
- Lord, grant us a perfect heart that will be humbled to understand you more and more.
Read Other ESOCS Devotional here
FURTHER READING: 2 Samuel 9:1-13; Matthew 5:38-48; Romans 2:11-29
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ESOCS Devotional 1 September 2021
