Deeper Reflection
Daniel’s words to Belshazzar, “You have not humbled your heart…
but you have exalted yourself ” (vv.22-23a), point to a reality: We
are either humble or proud. We cannot be not humble and not
proud at the same time. Pride is not just self-exaltation, but self-exaltation
“against the Lord of heaven”, which also means we “have not glorified
God” (v.23). God is always in the picture of humility and pride. Central in
true humility is God being glorified. Three theological realities give us the
impetus to walk humbly before God.We cannot escape from God: “the God in whose hand are your lifebreath and all your ways” (v.23). We can commit our lives into God’s hand
and be secure that “My times are in Your hand” (Psa 31:5, 15a). But even
when we choose not to entrust our lives into God’s hand, we are in His
hand regardless, for better or for worse before God. God examines our
hearts: “you have been weighed and found deficient” (v.27). We are not
to be proud or boastful, because God is “a God of knowledge, and with
Him actions are weighed” (1 Sam 2:3). We need to come to a point where
we can meekly say as Jeremiah, “You know me, O Lord; You see me; and
You examine my heart toward You” (Jer 12:3). God can end anything
anytime: “God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it” (v.26).
It is foolish to withhold anything from God, as if we can. God is God
enough to take away anything from us as He pleases.