SCRIPTURE: Daniel 5
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
This is the message that was written: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. This is what these words mean: Mene means ‘numbered’—God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end. Tekel means ‘weighed’—you have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up. Parsin means ‘divided’—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians. [Daniel 5:25-28]
A bad day for Belshazzar; the ‘writing is on the wall’ (ever wonder where that saying came from – here is its source!).
He refused to pay attention to the warning signs, he refused to take God seriously and lived it up for himself instead.
He is like so many people – they pay little or no attention to God, because life in this world seems so much more important and satisfying.
So many people who will one day find their days numbered, their lives weighed and their ‘wealth’ given to others.

But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God. [Luke 12:19-21]
Jesus tells a story similar to this one about Belshazzar; its about a rich man who is so self-absorbed that he just keeps focusing on his own wealth and happiness, whose motto is “take it easy, eat, drink and be merry!” [Luke 12:19]
But then the day comes when his life is measured, weighed, and nothing of eternal value is there.
Our greatest worth, our greatest value, comes from our relationship to God and people.
Love for God and love for people is not only the summary of the Law [Matthew 22:36-40], it is the essence of life, the key to survival and success in God’s world.

Those who do not have a rich relationship with God are actually poor, no matter how wealthy they may seem.
Those who are wrapped up in themselves are paupers, their lives are hollow and worthless.
The blessing of God, as expressed by Jesus, is for those who recognize their poverty and look to God for lasting riches.
Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. [Matthew 6:19-20]

Belshazzar cannot claim ignorance; he had plenty of evidence from his predecessor.
The same is true for all of us; we do not have to look far to see countless examples of people whose so rich, yet so poor.
Am I rich in what matters, or poor?
Is my wealth fool’s gold, or eternal gold?
Am I wrapped up in God, or in myself and my pleasure?
As Jesus-followers living in the wealthy west, we need to really think hard about this.
We may say that we are not wrapped up in worldly wealth, and yet how deceptive that wealth can be.
We need to take a long, hard look at what we value, what we prioritize, what we live for, what we cling to.
I know for myself there is plenty of fool’s gold mixed in with my faith.

PRAYER:
Lord, help me to measure and weigh my life now, with Your Spirit’s help, so that I can take steps now to invest in eternal gold.