“Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand. ² While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. ³ Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple of the house of God which had been in Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. ⁴ They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone. ⁵ In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. ⁶ Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other.” Daniel 5:1-6 NKJV

Father and Lord God,

I love the details of Belshazzar’s troubled face and thoughts, loose hips and knees knocking against each other. Daniel again is called for because the Queen remembers him. He is no longer a young man and he must remember being called for by Nebuchadnezzar to interpret his dreams (Daniel 2 and 4). At least on this occasion he has some writing to interpret under Your revelation.

However it is not always wise to be so honest and upset an all powerful King! But Daniel has been here before and trusts You. He reminds the King that he, Daniel had spoken to his father Nebuchadnezzar who God warned warned and then had eaten gress till he humbled himself. Daniel told him he had done worse showing no humility whatsoever. He was now weighed and found guilty by the God who holds his breath in His hand and owns all his ways (Daniel 5:23). That night he was slain.

It is good to keep our account with You Lord short, that is, up to date. Not forgetting where our grace and forgiveness comes from. No room for self aggrandisement. And to keep our relations with others in good health!

In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Worship Thursday 20th August 2026
Thank God there is an endless ocean of boundless salvation for this imperfect child of God.

O boundless salvation! deep ocean of love,
O fulness of mercy, Christ brought from above,
The whole world redeeming, so rich and so free,
Now flowing for all men, come, roll over me!

My sins they are many, their stains are so deep,
And bitter the tears of remorse that I weep;
But useless is weeping; thou great crimson sea,
Thy waters can cleanse me, come, roll over me!

My tempers are fitful, my passions are strong,
They bind my poor soul and they force me to wrong;
Beneath thy blest billows deliverance I see,
O come, mighty ocean, and roll over me!

Now tossed with temptation, then haunted with fears,
My life has been joyless and useless for years;
I feel something better most surely would be
If once thy pure waters would roll over me.

O ocean of mercy, oft longing I’ve stood
On the brink of thy wonderful, life-giving flood!
Once more I have reached this soul-cleansing sea,
I will not go back till it rolls over me.

The tide is now flowing, I’m touching the wave,
I hear the loud call of the mighty to save;
My faith’s growing bolder, delivered I’ll be;
I plunge ‘neath the waters, they roll over me.

And now, hallelujah! the rest of my days
Shall gladly be spent in promoting his praise
Who opened his bosom to pour out this sea
Of boundless salvation for you and for me.

Lyrics: General William Booth (Funder Salvation Army)