Sometimes
we can read things in the Bible and give mental ascent but never quite realize
the impact or importance to us or God. God desires us to walk in fear or
awesome respect and humility before him and to put him first in our lives.
(Eccl 8: 12-13; 1 Peter 5:6-7) He wants us to realize that all we are and have,
comes from him, not from our own efforts or resources (James 1:17). As we
humble ourselves before him in respect. we allow him to open his hand to bless
us and work in our lives (Acts 9:31).
This
is illustrated for us very graphically by God’s dealings with King
Nebuchadnezzar and one of his successors, King Belshazzar, in the Old Testament
(Daniel, Chapters 4 and 5). The Prophet Daniel interpreted a dream for King
Nebuchadnezzar. Because the King was lifted up in pride and did not acknowledge
God as the source of his greatness and power, the dream showed that the king
would be humbled as a beast in the field until he recognized God as his source.
The king heard Daniels words but took no head until the dream came to pass;
only then did he recognize God and praise Him.
God
sent a hand to write on the wall of Belshazzar’s banquet hall. Even though
Daniel translated the words written, that warned of the king’s imminent demise,
the king did not appear to heed them. The king was killed that very night as he
did not fear God and give him honor. These stories should get our attention.
We don’t
live in Old Testament times but in the New Testament age of grace. However,
when God talks about our being humble and having an awesome respect of him and
how this allows him to open his hands to bless us, he means it, this is a
principle of God.
Read,
study, meditate, understand, God’s word, the results are awesome.
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A BLOG by Norman and Jean Rawlings, authors of the
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