PERSONAL INSTRUCTION FROM GOD
Jenna Worsham
Today’s Scripture: “That night God came to Balaam and told him, ‘Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But do only what I tell you to do.’” Numbers 22:20, NLT
Theme: Ask God to instruct us when we feel a judgement is permissible and we need to do something about it.
GREY AREA
Sometimes I know exactly what the right choice is: report accurately or lie, give the tithe or withhold it, sabotage my coworker or miss out on a promotion. In some situations, we know what’s right, the Bible is clear, the situation isn’t murky. Yet often we struggle with unclear choices. Should I intervene in a conflict my child is facing at school or show mercy and be patient? I can see how each choice might honor God. Should I prioritize meeting with a friend from life group or cancel to accept plans with an un-believing acquaintance? Pros and cons to each; neither is a clearly sinful choice. Should I stay in my full-time job or take a different position to be available at home? Both choices could honor God. Two faithful followers might make the opposite decisions and yet honor God by their actions or conversely dishonor Him. The prophet in Numbers 22 was in a similar unclear situation.
A TOUGH SITUATION
Balaam was a prophet loyal to God. However, word got out that his prophesies consistently came true and so Balak, the king of Moab, in fear of God’s approaching people, wanted to recruit the prophet Baalam to fix the conflict by a predicting a favorable outcome for Moab (Numbers 22:1-6). The king is asking Balaam to fix the fight. He even offers to pay him for his services. Balaam could have become prideful, greedy, and self-centered. He could have dismissed his calling to serve God and taken advantage of the king’s offer. Maybe Balaam could have gone to the king and decided once he got there whether to proclaim judgment over the Moabites or the Israelites. However, Balaam knew that the power he wielded was not his own. He feared the God who defeated the Amorites (Numbers 22:2) and instructed his prophesy. Faced with a delegation ready to pay him for service to the king, Balaam defers to God’s plan. “And he said to them, ‘Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me.’ So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam” (Numbers 22:8, ESV).
DO ONLY WHAT I TELL YOU TO DO
Balaam doesn’t make his own plan. He defers to God’s plan. When we are faced with a confusing or unclear decision, taking the time to ask God provides clarity. Not every scenario is life or death. And yet some decisions do matter more than we imagine. Leaving with a delegation isn’t something clearly sinful – but we can see that God doesn’t want Balaam to go. If Balaam hadn’t asked God what he should do, he could have made the wrong choice. In Number 22:12-21, God says not to go, so Balaam doesn’t. God says to go ahead, so Balaam does. Eventually, God tells Balaam exactly what to say, and Balaam only says that (Numbers 23). Even knowing that he must depend on God doesn’t totally prevent Balaam from missteps. On the way to Moab, Balaam’s donkey senses trouble and Balaam beats it to force it to keep going. He doesn’t pause to pray in that situation. A stopped donkey doesn’t always indicate a spiritual barrier, but in this case it did! I wonder how the story would have gone if Balaam had stopped to pray in Numbers 22:23 instead of beating his donkey. He could have said “God, do you want us to keep on going? Is something wrong with this donkey or is something wrong with me?” Instead, God delivered Balaam by giving the donkey the ability to verbally communicate with Balaam (Numbers 22:28). It was a near miss with an unseen warrior angel of the Lord.
Make It Personal: What seemingly small judgments could be humbly brought before the Lord today? Make a habit of praying about weird or strange things that happen. It doesn’t take that long, and it’s not out of the question that there may be a spiritual answer for your confusing situation. Let’s do only what God tells us to do.
Pray: Dear God, we know You are the same One who instructed Balaam when he didn’t know what to do. You have been faithful to reveal our next steps in the past, and we know You will do the same thing for us today. Help us to pay attention to our surroundings and to ask You for instruction. Especially when it comes to judging others, we can be too quick to take the bait or justify our own gut reactions. Help us to slow down and to ask You for instructions. You are faithful, and You are not confused. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Read: Numbers 22
Weekly Memory Verse: “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17, NLT