The Talking Donkey and the New Year

"Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed all the way to the ground. (v32) An the angel of the Lord said to him, "Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary because your way was contrary to me. (v33) But, the donkey saw me and turned aside from me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, I would surely have killed you just now, and let her live." Numbers 22:31-33 I am writing you from the Great Smokey Mountains, as I celebrate the New Year's day with my family. God has been leading me all day today to write a post...a post dedicated to what He wants us to know for the future, especially 2009. I feel that if we, His children, want to stand firm without fear for what is yet to come, we must know the following... A year or so ago, I did some reading on the story of Balaam and his talking donkey in Numbers chapters 22-24 (I recommend that when you have your quiet time with God, read the entire story). I figured it would be interesting. I mean, who doesn't want to know what was up with a talking donkey? I remember I wrote about it in my journal. But today, God has called it back to my mind to write a post. I feel it is almost an urgency that we read this and take away from it what God needs for us to know. I will sum up the story the best I can. Balaam was a Gentile prophet whose prophesies were recorded over the entire Bible. Yet, even though Balaam started out knowing God and His ways, Balaam began to become a lover of the world. He began to love the world and its ways more than he loved God. He became known as the worldly prophet who betrayed Israel for fame and fortune. In a commentary by Larry Wood, Balaam is said to have wondered off course from God and becomes spiritually asleep. One day, Balaam gets on his donkey and begins to take a trip. God tells Balaam that if he takes this trip, he must do specifically as God directs him. During the trip, God reveals himself to Balaam as an angel guarding paths that Balaam attempts to go down. Balaam fails to see God. However, strangely enough, the donkey sees the angel and stops each time. Rather than see what is really before him, Balaam hits the donkey out of anger. This happens three times. Finally, God allows the donkey to speak to Balaam, asking him about his violent behavior. At last, Balaam sees the angel of the Lord. The Lord tells him that if it had not been for the donkey, Balaam would have died. So, what's the moral of the story? To me, it's two-fold. First, we often pray for God's will but can't follow Him because the desire of the world consumes our hearts. I feel this is what God needs us to know today so that we can depend on Him for what is, to me, the end times. We must die to the world daily. Because of our sinful nature, it is within us to desire the world. Even as His children, we say we want Him but our actions say differently. Then we wonder why our prayers are not heard and our hearts are empty. God's spoken word says that He checks the motives of the heart (Proverbs 16:1-2). As I was sitting here in this cabin looking out toward the mountains, I am humbled to see His majesty all around me. How silly we are to think that the right career will complete us; how absurd it is to think that more money will make us happy; how offensive it must be to Him to think that we must have the perfect mate or the perfect family to feel as if we are content. No, it is only in God alone will that empty void be filled. This is nothing new that I have figured out. God's word already tells us that. The book of Ecclesiastes is basically an interview, if you will, with King Solomon. When the richest man that has ever lived is asked what insight he can share, Solomon says this: "I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun (Ecc. 2:10-11)." Even Solomon knew that you are nothing without God in the center of your heart and dreams. Balaam fell because he became consumed with all he could have in the world. The second point of the story of Balaam is knowing that God speaks by using those around us. But in order to hear Him, we must constantly be aware of His movement. How is this done? By maintaining a daily intimate relationship with Him. How often has God spoken to me through other people but I was too arrogant or too defensive to hear Him. What about you? Are you struggling to hear God? I hope you will join me in preparing for His return by striving to focus on our Lord rather than what is in the world. We must know that what we see before us will all be lost. What we have with our Lord is eternal. What do you have? Begin today. It is the first day of the new year. It doesn't matter what you have done. God is waiting for you to just simply utter the name "Jesus". To simply speak His name stirs the very heart of God. He will come to where you are. He can forgive us of placing the world before Him if we ask. I hope you will join me in this new focus for 2009... Happy New Year, Corrie My prayer for today: Lord, I ask forgiveness of placing so much emphasis on things around me and not you. Help me to focus only on the relationship between you and I. Help me to hear, see, and follow you. Thank you for those you use to help me to find you...