Numbers 24:12-13
"And Balaam said to Balak, 'Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, If Balak should give me his houseful of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the Lord speaks, that will I speak'?"
As I read through Numbers, the story of Balaam and Balak really struck me. I have read this story and heard this story before but I never understood until now. Now that I understand better what is happening, I see an incredible example of how Christians today should be.
Back in chapter 22 of Numbers, Balak, king of Moab, sent messengers to bring Balaam to him because he wanted Israel to be cursed. First thing I noticed is that Balaam told the messengers to just wait and did not give an immediate response but went before the Lord to seek his advice. After the second group of messengers, God told Balaam to go, so he went. Then we see that the Lord was angry because Balaam's ways were perverse. God stood in the way of him and his donkey, Balaam repented and was willing to go where ever God said. God told him to continue on to Balak. Balak asked Balaam to curse the people of Israel but when Balaam went before the Lord, the words he relieved were a blessing. He did this three times and now we arrive at Numbers 24:12-13.
Balak was mad at Balaam for blessing his enemies I steadying of cursing them but Balaam reminded him of what he told the messengers that he sent him. I stand amazed at the boldness and stability in Balaam's life to not give in to the pressure Balak was giving him. He reminded him that no amount of gold or silver would persuade him to go against the word of the Lord. Wow. I think about it like this; President Obama wants you to complete a task for him and you, as a believer, you feel the Lord calling you to go so you choose to make the journey there. No matter what you want to stand firm in your faith but Obama asks you to do something that would go against God and what you believe in. Now you have a choice, you can stand up for your faith and tell the president no or you can, out of fear, do whatever he says. You don't know how he would respond if you told him no to something, he is the president and could do anything to you. I imagine that was the battle inside of Balaam every time he stood and spoke a blessing instead of the curse Balak wanted. Balak was king and could have probable had him killed in that moment.
I see how Balaam was committed to serving God yet we see their was obviously still sin in his life because God had to stop him on his journey. He immediately repented and was once again available for the service of the Lord. He stood firm and did not let authority persuade him to do other than what the Lord said. Is that what my life looks like? I am a sinner saved by grace with a desire to serve God in everything I do, but am I committed like Balaam? Being in Kenya with the purpose of doing ministry and serving God makes it easier to be committed and stand firm in what I believe because people know why I am here. But what about when I return home? Will I still be willing to stand up for what I believe to the random stranger that starts talking to me in the store? Will I still make it my purpose that everything I do is out of an attitude of serving my Lord? Will I still be committed to daily serving the Lord, not weekly or monthly but daily? It's a good question for everyone to ask, are you committed to doing whatever the Lord says? Reading the story of Balaam has been a great reminder to me to how a believer should live out his life, committed to do whatever the Lord says.
"And Balaam said to Balak, 'Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, If Balak should give me his houseful of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the Lord speaks, that will I speak'?"
As I read through Numbers, the story of Balaam and Balak really struck me. I have read this story and heard this story before but I never understood until now. Now that I understand better what is happening, I see an incredible example of how Christians today should be.
Back in chapter 22 of Numbers, Balak, king of Moab, sent messengers to bring Balaam to him because he wanted Israel to be cursed. First thing I noticed is that Balaam told the messengers to just wait and did not give an immediate response but went before the Lord to seek his advice. After the second group of messengers, God told Balaam to go, so he went. Then we see that the Lord was angry because Balaam's ways were perverse. God stood in the way of him and his donkey, Balaam repented and was willing to go where ever God said. God told him to continue on to Balak. Balak asked Balaam to curse the people of Israel but when Balaam went before the Lord, the words he relieved were a blessing. He did this three times and now we arrive at Numbers 24:12-13.
Balak was mad at Balaam for blessing his enemies I steadying of cursing them but Balaam reminded him of what he told the messengers that he sent him. I stand amazed at the boldness and stability in Balaam's life to not give in to the pressure Balak was giving him. He reminded him that no amount of gold or silver would persuade him to go against the word of the Lord. Wow. I think about it like this; President Obama wants you to complete a task for him and you, as a believer, you feel the Lord calling you to go so you choose to make the journey there. No matter what you want to stand firm in your faith but Obama asks you to do something that would go against God and what you believe in. Now you have a choice, you can stand up for your faith and tell the president no or you can, out of fear, do whatever he says. You don't know how he would respond if you told him no to something, he is the president and could do anything to you. I imagine that was the battle inside of Balaam every time he stood and spoke a blessing instead of the curse Balak wanted. Balak was king and could have probable had him killed in that moment.
I see how Balaam was committed to serving God yet we see their was obviously still sin in his life because God had to stop him on his journey. He immediately repented and was once again available for the service of the Lord. He stood firm and did not let authority persuade him to do other than what the Lord said. Is that what my life looks like? I am a sinner saved by grace with a desire to serve God in everything I do, but am I committed like Balaam? Being in Kenya with the purpose of doing ministry and serving God makes it easier to be committed and stand firm in what I believe because people know why I am here. But what about when I return home? Will I still be willing to stand up for what I believe to the random stranger that starts talking to me in the store? Will I still make it my purpose that everything I do is out of an attitude of serving my Lord? Will I still be committed to daily serving the Lord, not weekly or monthly but daily? It's a good question for everyone to ask, are you committed to doing whatever the Lord says? Reading the story of Balaam has been a great reminder to me to how a believer should live out his life, committed to do whatever the Lord says.
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