[Darris McNeely] One of the privileges I have at Ambassador Bible College is teaching the book of Daniel to young students who come in to go through the Bible. I've just recently finished Chapter 5 of the book of Daniel. The handwriting on the wall, Belshazzar's feast. And there were a couple of places in there that really caught my attention. And as I was explaining to the kids this year, I could tell that they, I think, learned a lot from it as well. The handwriting on the wall, that disembodied hand that appeared, "Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin" and scared everyone to death and they had to call in Daniel to interpret because nobody else knew what those words on the wall meant. Well, Daniel talked to the King and he said something in terms of just the past, the problems of Nebuchadnezzar and that Belshazzar, the King of Babylon at that time had not humbled his heart, verse 22, although he knew all the story about Nebuchadnezzar and this Belshazzar was partying really, while, literally, Babylon was about to burn.

And so Daniel makes a comment to him that probably went right to his heart for the moment and yet is written by God for our understanding that should tell us something as well in verse 23 of Daniel Chapter 5. Daniel then really gets to the punchline and he says to the King, "You have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. And you have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives, your concubines, they've drunk from them. And you've praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, and iron, wood, and stone, which do not see, hear or know." No idol sees, hears or knows. And these idols that they worshiped were no exception.

Daniel goes on to say here, "And the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified." The God who holds your breath in His hands. I had to pause once again. You know, I read the Bible, teach the Bible, every year go through the same materials and every time I always learn something new. And this time, this verse popped out at me. God holds our breath in His hands. He guides, He directs our ways. He owns our ways, it says. Now, certainly, we have to yield ourselves to Him, but even when we don't, like Belshazzar here, God is directing the events, His purposes, His plan is coming to pass. It was around Belshazzar and the plans God had for Babylon. God still has plans. God has plans for us and if we yield ourselves into His hands, then that breath of ours that He controls can be put to a productive end and He will guide our ways because He owns our ways.

Think about that in whatever may going on in your life right now. I recognize that this passage is true, that God holds our breath in His hands and He wants to direct our ways in productive ways through His blessing, but we have to make certain decisions as well. And it can all go better when we do. So, huge life lesson, I think from the story and Daniel that we all know so well, the handwriting on the wall. Let God direct your ways and see how more productive we can be.

That's BT Daily. Join us next time.