You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

“This is the inscription that was written:
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN

“This is what these words mean:

Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.

Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.

Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
(Daniel 5:25 (NIV))

I have wrestled with this passage for a few days. I feel that I am being led to use this passage, yet, at the same time, I have this feeling in my stomach that this is going to make some people angry.

Here goes!

Think about the words “You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.”

Who is doing the weighing? Who is making the decision that we could be found wanting? This is not the only place that we are given a stern message like this.

“Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
(Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV))

Just how can someone be found wanting in the eyes of God?

I think that we see a glimpse of this in the above passage from Matthew.

Jesus warned against those who claimed the power of His name, but did not have a personal relationship with Him. If we have that personal relationship with Jesus, our hearts will seek after what is on His heart. We will seek to do His will. We will be in step with what He is calling us to do.

We can get out of step easily. We can follow false teachings. We can accept only part of Jesus, the part that most people like to think about – Savior. If we do not accept Jesus as both Lord and Savior, then we are refusing to listen and to follow. In other words, we will not know Him, and He will not know us!

We will be evildoers in His sight!

What happens when many get out of step with God?

Is it possible for a nation to get out of step with God?

The story from Daniel shows us that it is possible. They were shown the handwriting on the wall.

I often wonder what things we will be asked about when we stand before God. I know that we will be asked about our personal sins.

When I say to a wicked man, `You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself.
(Ezekiel 3:18-19 (NIV))

Could we be found wanting because we did not take action to intervene for others, out nation and our world?

Copyright 1998 – 2012 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Stumbling

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Those who love Your law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble.
(Psalms 119:165 (NIV))

What causes someone to stumble? Is it the fact that they are not watching where they are going? Could it be that they are focused on something besides the path upon which they walk? Is it due to the fact that they wish to be going another direction? Is it due to the fact that the path they walk holds so little interest for them that they are easily distracted? These are all contributors to stumbling. How do you keep from stumbling?

Focus!

That is the single most important aspect of walking a path that does not vary or falter.

You must have a focal point in your life to keep from faltering and stumbling. That focal point must be something that is beyond your immediate grasp, yet it must be something that can be attained one small step at a time.

That is exactly how God calls us to walk with Him through our walk with Jesus Christ. It is a daily walk that has as its immediate goal to help us get through the moment.

Perhaps you have heard the story of the two sets of footprints in the sand. One set can be anybody’s. The other set is Jesus’. During the walk together, the person with Jesus looks back and only sees one set of foot prints. He asks why Jesus left him. Jesus answers by telling him He didn’t leave. He carried him!

Talk about the ability to keep from stumbling! Walk with Jesus and His grace and mercy will carry you when you need it in order to keep you from stumbling.

I cannot think of a better companion to have on this walk that we call life, especially when we are prone to stumble along the way.

Copyright 1998 – 2012 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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