Palm Pilot
Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Numbers 22, 23, 24
Numbers 22:34-35 (NIV)
34 Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.” 35 The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV)
7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Good morning!
Isn’t it amazing how the Lord God Almighty reveals Himself to people? Balaam had been summonsed by King Balak of Moab, to curse the new arrivals from Egypt. The king feared for his people’s safety and placed his trust in the sorcery of Balaam, begging him speak a curse on the entire Israelite encampment. Balaam positioned his faith in any god who would help him make a quick buck and a name for himself. When confronted with the Lord God Almighty, Balaam recognized that the Israelites were blessed. They could not be defeated because the Lord was with them. Even with this great understanding, Balaam could not comprehend that Jahweh was greater and more powerful than all the manufactured gods of the world. Balaam listened, responded and followed the instruction of the Lord’s angel, but it wasn’t enough to convert his heart.
Is it possible that the Lord is standing right in front of us today, and we may not see Him for who He truly is?
In an age where instant gratification and self-proclamation is the norm, where selfishness and ladder-climbing are commonplace characteristics of our communities, we rely and place our trust on anything and everything except God. It is a sad situation when we fail to see the Truth, especially even when it is standing directly in front of us. Balaam used divination and sorcery as his life’s palm pilot and spiritual guide. It was not enough for the angel of the Lord to reveal the awesome, mighty power of God. Balaam recognized the Lord’s presence only after his faithful donkey refused to move forward. Balaam heard the Word of the Lord and was able to repeat it to the King without wavering. Yet, Balaam’s revelation did not produce any real faith in the Great I Am. As a result, he lost his very own life in the Israelite invasion.
Knowing of the Lord and knowing the Lord are two totally different things. We can learn a lesson from Balaam today. If you are seeking faith, ask the Lord to reveal His truth to you today. Ask Him to open your spirit to His Word. If you seek Him, He will find you.
Grace and peace,
Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com
Pray for: the Lord to open up your heart, remove the blinders from your eyes, and the wax from your ears. He is standing right in front of you today. Won’t you place your faith in Jesus?
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© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
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