# The hand that writes God's word
*2017-10-29*

> Bill Young reflects on the biblical account of the writing on the wall in the Book of Daniel and how God continues to communicate His will through the written Word of the Bible.

## The Legacy of St. Clement

Today is November 29th, the feast day of St. Clement. For those unfamiliar with St. Clement, he was the third successor to St. Peter and was martyred in 101 AD. Pope Clement believed that Christians in our faith could be united through charity. Even today, we can look toward those of different faiths with the hope that one day we will all be one when our Lord Jesus returns. In the meantime, let our charitable works unite us.

## The Writing on the Wall

In today's reading from 'One Bread, One Body,' we look at Daniel 5:5: 'A human hand appeared, writing on the plaster of the wall in the king’s palace.' King Belshazzar and his companions were terrified, yet attentive to the words of God delivered in such a sensational manner. The king was consumed by curiosity to know the meaning of the message sent by God.

## From Sensational Signs to Sacred Scripture

The Lord has written many other words by hands that He has sent to earth. These hands wrote the words of God on scrolls, which became the books of the Bible. While these were written in a more ordinary manner, they still possess the essential character of human authorities hearing the word of God and fully transmitting it. Some Bibles may sit quietly on a shelf or against a wall in a home, lacking the obvious, sensational nature of a hand writing on a palace wall, but the words written by human hands on those pages were sent directly from God.

## Responding to the Word

We should allow the Lord to consume us with the same curiosity and desire that King Belshazzar and his party felt to know the meaning of the words sent by God. However, unlike Belshazzar, we must not be caught unprepared by the power of God's word. As 1 Peter 5:8 tells us, we must stay sober and alert. We should receive the word of God in humility, thanksgiving, and obedience.

*The word of God should always be with us, for when the Bible becomes God's living word for us, it can change our lives forever.*