“I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.” I read those words during my morning quiet time recently and they stopped me cold. If those don’t immediately ring a bell, they were spoken by an angel of the Lord in Numbers 22:32. I was reading the NIV translation.
I’ve read those words several times before and didn’t remember them or the crazy story of the talking donkey that goes with them. Perhaps it’s because it’s buried in the book of Numbers, which isn’t exactly the easiest portion of scripture to read. Then again, maybe it’s because the timing wasn’t right for me to process that story.
Either way, like a song can get stuck in your head, this story has been stuck in my head for a couple of weeks now.
I’ll set the stage a little with a thumbnail version, but please read it for yourself. A sketchy prophet named Balaam was summoned by the Moabite King Balak. Balak was fearful of the Israelites and wanted Balaam to curse them. Balaam says he must consult with God and then says no he won’t curse them. Balak tries again and successfully lures him with rewards. Balaam takes off on his donkey to meet the king.
God was angry with him and sent the angel. The donkey saw the angel, but Balaam didn’t. The donkey tried to stop and turn around, so Balaam beat him. A version of this happened three times before the Lord allowed the donkey to talk and soon after opened Balaam’s eye to see the angel.
It’s a wild story to be sure. Balaam was guilty of saying the right things but not doing the right things. His heart and his words were not aligned. God knew his heart and intervened.
Multiple lessons can be extracted from this story but where I keep finding myself stuck is that God was not going to let His chosen people be cursed. If it required a talking donkey and an angel to stand in the way and say, “your path is reckless,” He was going to make it happen. His plan prevails no matter what.
I’ve never heard a donkey talk but I’m pretty sure there have been times when God has used an angel to block my way because my path was reckless. I don’t know about you, but I find great comfort in knowing that God will block my way when I’m off base. It’s like in 1 Corinthians 10:13 when we’re told that God provides a way of escape from temptations.
The knowledge that God not only makes a way but provides escape routes and will go to extremes to block a wrong path is so comforting to me. It’s not that we can’t or don’t make mistakes, but if our hearts are right with Him, He won’t let us do it without warning us or rescuing us. I can almost feel the pressure lift off me when I know He is taking that kind of care of me.
He works the same way when He wants to get our attention. How many times have you wondered if you missed what God was calling you to do? I’ve said many times that it’s not that I don’t trust God but that I don’t trust myself. What if I don’t hear Him and miss my window? Oh, how often I’ve struggled with that thought.
Friend, I think I’ve spent too much time focused on me and not enough on God. I’ve spent too much time worrying that I might miss something that was for me and not enough time trusting God to make it happen. In 1 Samuel 3 we read about how God spoke to a young Samuel as he was lying down to sleep. Samuel thought it was Eli. On the third time Eli told Samuel that it was the Lord. On the fourth time, Samuel finally answered, and God spoke to him.
These examples serve as reminders to me that I don’t have to worry about missing God or what He has for me. He’s not a one chance God. He will get our attention. Rest in that. Rest in the knowledge that if He’s got a word or a way for you, He will not let you miss it. You might try the Jonah tactic and buy a ticket on the first thing going the other way, but guess what – He’ll meet you there, too. He does not expect perfection from you. He knows when your spirit is willing and your flesh is weak.
If He must use an angel and a talking donkey to block your way; if He must call for you repeatedly; if He has to use a whale to catch you and bring you back to where you’re supposed to be, don’t worry He will do it. He sent His own son to die for you. For me. He has proven that He will do whatever it takes to guide you and get you home, except force His way into your heart.
Photo by Anna Kaminova/Unsplash
