Glorify God In All You Do
Honoring God with Your Gift's
“In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.” Daniel 5:5–6
In Daniel chapter 5, we witness one of the most sobering moments in biblical history - a king brought to his knees not by an army, but by a divine message written by the hand of God. Belshazzar, the ruler of Babylon, throws a lavish banquet filled with celebration, wine, and grandeur. But what makes this gathering tragic is not the party itself - it’s how the king and his guests mock what is sacred. They drink from the holy vessels taken from the temple in Jerusalem, using what was meant for worship to fuel their indulgence. The hand of God appears, writing a message of judgment on the wall. In an instant, joy turns to terror, and laughter to trembling.
As with all scripture, there’s something relevant for us in this ancient scene. God gives us many gifts - time, talents, relationships, our bodies, our minds - and like Belshazzar, we are stewards of those gifts. The issue isn’t whether we enjoy the gifts God has given. In fact, joy, celebration, and community are His ideas. When people gather to laugh, share stories, and build relationships, they’re experiencing something deeply rooted in the heart of God. Scripture reminds us, “Every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). The question is not whether we use God’s gifts - but how.
In Belshazzar’s case, he used God’s gifts to exalt himself. He dishonored what was holy. Instead of honoring God, he mocked Him. And in response, God sent a clear warning: the mysterious handwriting on the wall.
What does this teach us? Could there be places in our lives where we are misusing what God has entrusted to us? Are there ways we are treating God’s blessings - our time, our bodies, our resources, our relationships - as if they belong solely to us?
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.”
That’s not just about taking care of our physical health. It’s about living every day with the awareness that our lives are vessels meant for God’s glory.
Like the sacred vessels Belshazzar abused, our lives can either be used for worship or for waste. God is patient and gracious - but He is also holy. He will convict us when we stray, and sometimes that conviction feels like “handwriting on the wall.” It might come through a sermon, a Scripture, a conversation, or an inner nudge from the Holy Spirit that says, “This needs to change.”
The good news is that God’s conviction is always an invitation - not just a warning. When God reveals areas in our lives that are off course, He’s offering us the opportunity to return to Him. His goal is not to shame us, but to transform us. Romans 2:4 reminds us, "Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”
So, let’s take time today to consider how are we using the gifts God has given us. Are we using our time to serve others and grow in faith? Are we using our relationships to reflect Christ’s love? Are we using our minds to dwell on truth and not on fear or bitterness? Are we offering our hearts in worship or holding them back for our own desires?
Maybe you’ve seen God’s handwriting on the wall in your own life - an unmistakable moment when He called you to stop and listen. Don’t ignore it. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and show you any area that needs to be brought back under His rule. And when He shows you, respond.
You were created for more than temporary pleasure. You were created to be a vessel of God’s glory.
Father, thank You for the many gifts You have given me. Forgive me for the times I’ve used Your gifts for my own purposes instead of Your glory. Help me to see the areas in my life where You are calling me to change. Teach me to honor You with all that I have - my time, my talents, my body, my relationships, and my heart. Make me a vessel fit for Your service. Amen.
Credit: Ron Kelley
“In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.” Daniel 5:5–6
In Daniel chapter 5, we witness one of the most sobering moments in biblical history - a king brought to his knees not by an army, but by a divine message written by the hand of God. Belshazzar, the ruler of Babylon, throws a lavish banquet filled with celebration, wine, and grandeur. But what makes this gathering tragic is not the party itself - it’s how the king and his guests mock what is sacred. They drink from the holy vessels taken from the temple in Jerusalem, using what was meant for worship to fuel their indulgence. The hand of God appears, writing a message of judgment on the wall. In an instant, joy turns to terror, and laughter to trembling.
As with all scripture, there’s something relevant for us in this ancient scene. God gives us many gifts - time, talents, relationships, our bodies, our minds - and like Belshazzar, we are stewards of those gifts. The issue isn’t whether we enjoy the gifts God has given. In fact, joy, celebration, and community are His ideas. When people gather to laugh, share stories, and build relationships, they’re experiencing something deeply rooted in the heart of God. Scripture reminds us, “Every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). The question is not whether we use God’s gifts - but how.
In Belshazzar’s case, he used God’s gifts to exalt himself. He dishonored what was holy. Instead of honoring God, he mocked Him. And in response, God sent a clear warning: the mysterious handwriting on the wall.
What does this teach us? Could there be places in our lives where we are misusing what God has entrusted to us? Are there ways we are treating God’s blessings - our time, our bodies, our resources, our relationships - as if they belong solely to us?
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.”
That’s not just about taking care of our physical health. It’s about living every day with the awareness that our lives are vessels meant for God’s glory.
Like the sacred vessels Belshazzar abused, our lives can either be used for worship or for waste. God is patient and gracious - but He is also holy. He will convict us when we stray, and sometimes that conviction feels like “handwriting on the wall.” It might come through a sermon, a Scripture, a conversation, or an inner nudge from the Holy Spirit that says, “This needs to change.”
The good news is that God’s conviction is always an invitation - not just a warning. When God reveals areas in our lives that are off course, He’s offering us the opportunity to return to Him. His goal is not to shame us, but to transform us. Romans 2:4 reminds us, "Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”
So, let’s take time today to consider how are we using the gifts God has given us. Are we using our time to serve others and grow in faith? Are we using our relationships to reflect Christ’s love? Are we using our minds to dwell on truth and not on fear or bitterness? Are we offering our hearts in worship or holding them back for our own desires?
Maybe you’ve seen God’s handwriting on the wall in your own life - an unmistakable moment when He called you to stop and listen. Don’t ignore it. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and show you any area that needs to be brought back under His rule. And when He shows you, respond.
You were created for more than temporary pleasure. You were created to be a vessel of God’s glory.
Father, thank You for the many gifts You have given me. Forgive me for the times I’ve used Your gifts for my own purposes instead of Your glory. Help me to see the areas in my life where You are calling me to change. Teach me to honor You with all that I have - my time, my talents, my body, my relationships, and my heart. Make me a vessel fit for Your service. Amen.
Credit: Ron Kelley
Recent
Archive
2025
March
May
2024
February
2023
March
April
May
No Comments