READ: Daniel 5:13-30
“...But you have not praised the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny!” – Daniel 5:23, TLB
Many people just enjoy blessings but do not understand how they are acquired. For instance, most Africans do not know how Europe was built. They have no idea how a clean and orderly society is created. They love to go to these Western countries and live there if possible. But they do things that destroy their own nations. They fight against the very things that create what they want. They oppose decisions that will bring order, cleanliness and all the other things that the Western world has.
Many simply do not know the type of leadership qualities that are needed to take us out of our squalor. The radical, strong leaders who are needed to move large populations of undeveloped societies into prosperity are simply not chosen through elections. Often, smooth talking, ‘please everyone,’ traditional and ‘nice’ people are chosen by undeveloped societies because the people like their approach. Unfortunately, such people cannot take the people anywhere.
Similarly, Christians do not know how and why they are blessed. They forget that God holds their destiny in His hands. Belshazzar praised the gods of gold and of silver, wood and stone, but he did not honour God. The prophet Daniel rebuked Belshazzar for not remembering the one who really mattered. He holds our breath in His hand and He controls all our ways. He therefore is the source of all our blessings. How can we forget the one who controls everything about our lives. We cannot live a day longer than He allows. He’s got the whole world in His hands.