So the next morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started off with the Moabite officials. But God was angry that Balaam was going, so he sent the angel of the Lord to stand in the road to block his way. As Balaam and two servants were riding along,Balaam’s donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. The donkey bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat it and turned it back onto the road. Then the angel of the Lord stood at a place where the road narrowed between two vineyard walls. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it tried to squeeze by and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So Balaam beat the donkey again. Then the angel of the Lord moved farther down the road and stood in a place too narrow for the donkey to get by at all. This time when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down under Balaam. In a fit of rage Balaam beat the animal again with his staff.Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?” it asked Balaam.
“You have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!”
“But I am the same donkey you have ridden all your life,” the donkey answered. “Have I ever done anything like this before?”
“No,” Balaam admitted.
Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him.
“Why did you beat your donkey those three times?” the angel of the Lord demanded. “Look, I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me. Three times the donkey saw me and shied away; otherwise, I would certainly have killed you by now and spared the donkey.”
Numbers 22:21-32 NLT
This story is about Balak trying to bribe Balaam to curse the Israelites so he (Balak) could defeat them. God told Balaam in no uncertain terms, No, you are not to do that, but Balaam's response to the officials is like that of a petulant child whose Daddy has told him no. Balaam knew he was not supposed to curse anything that God had blessed, but there was that greed thing working... They offered him more riches, and with his mouth he says no, but his heart is coveting that easy money. God said no, but hang around, maybe He'll change His mind...
Do you ever find yourself in that position? Tempted to be drawn away by what the world has to offer even when we know it's wrong? Do we just pay lip service? No I can't do that, I'm a Christian... Do we really think God's going to change His mind? Would we do it if we thought we could get away with it? If so, it might be a good idea to own a donkey... or have a friend who is as stubborn as one when it comes to following the Lord.
Those of you who know me know that this is one of my favorite passages of Scripture. It provides GREAT hope! If God used a donkey to talk to a prophet, He can use you or me to talk to... well, you get the picture.
Prayer:
Father,
“You have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!”
“But I am the same donkey you have ridden all your life,” the donkey answered. “Have I ever done anything like this before?”
“No,” Balaam admitted.
Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him.
“Why did you beat your donkey those three times?” the angel of the Lord demanded. “Look, I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me. Three times the donkey saw me and shied away; otherwise, I would certainly have killed you by now and spared the donkey.”
Numbers 22:21-32 NLT
This story is about Balak trying to bribe Balaam to curse the Israelites so he (Balak) could defeat them. God told Balaam in no uncertain terms, No, you are not to do that, but Balaam's response to the officials is like that of a petulant child whose Daddy has told him no. Balaam knew he was not supposed to curse anything that God had blessed, but there was that greed thing working... They offered him more riches, and with his mouth he says no, but his heart is coveting that easy money. God said no, but hang around, maybe He'll change His mind...
Do you ever find yourself in that position? Tempted to be drawn away by what the world has to offer even when we know it's wrong? Do we just pay lip service? No I can't do that, I'm a Christian... Do we really think God's going to change His mind? Would we do it if we thought we could get away with it? If so, it might be a good idea to own a donkey... or have a friend who is as stubborn as one when it comes to following the Lord.
Those of you who know me know that this is one of my favorite passages of Scripture. It provides GREAT hope! If God used a donkey to talk to a prophet, He can use you or me to talk to... well, you get the picture.
Prayer:
Father,
Even if we've never done it before, open our spiritual eyes to see so we can speak the words You would have us say to save someone from eternal death. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
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