Mark 4:1-20; 2 Samuel 9; 2 Samuel 10; Daniel 5
You’ve probably heard someone say it if something strange happened: “Who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters!” Ok, I probably have to apologize for doing that right now because some of you will be singing that song all day long now. They’ve become a cultural phenomenon that comes up in discussion anytime people go through weird events. We might use different parts of the song, because after all, “I ain’t afraid of no ghosts.” Everyone knows, though, that for weird events in your neighborhood, you call Ghostbusters.
Ok, I know that’s fiction and things like that never happen, right? No one really calls anything like a ghostbuster. Unless, maybe you happen to be the king, and you happen to be partying, and you happen to take the goblets that came from the Temple of the Lord and use them to drink and salute the false gods of the land. If that happens, you might have a problem with the Hand of God writing you a message. If that happens, you might not be able to all a ghostbuster, but you might be able to call Daniel. “So Daniel was brought before the king, and the king said to him, ‘Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah? I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you and that you have insight, intelligence and outstanding wisdom.’” (Daniel 5:13-14)
Daniel was the go to wise man when things got weird in Babylon. He was the go to guy for one reason: his commitment to God. God did some strange things there. People walking in a fire and not burning up, people getting messages in dreams and needing interpretation, exiling a king for 7 years, and now, handwriting on the wall. Belshazzar was the new king, and he was frightened. He offered Daniel the third spot in the kingdom to read the writing on the wall. I guess that would make him the Vice-Vice-King. The response Daniel gave, though, was not one designed to win friends and influence people. I don’t think Daniel liked the new king: when Nebuchadnezzar got bad news, Daniel wished it was for his enemies; when Belshazzar got the warning from God, it didn’t take him long to let him know what God was trying to say. 
We may not see some of the weird things that Daniel saw in Babylon in our world. At the same time, God speaks to people in different ways. Many times they won’t understand what God is saying. If you are a friend, and you have shown this other person your love for God, they may come to you, seeking wisdom from God in their situation. if you want to be ready to help, and you should be, then you need to be close to God before the weird situation arises. Daniel was known for his prayers, which was used against him later. He was known for his wisdom, which he would freely confess came from God. And, he was known for studying God’s word. If you want to be the one your friends call when trouble comes, you need to be ready to act when the need arises. Draw close to God each and every day.
Oh Lord, so many are experiencing Your presence without realizing the truth. I pray for my friends who are going through those experiences. Give them guidance in who to seek out, and let them that I am ready and able to help.