It's a Beautiful Day out there on the Fisherman's Wharf.
It's a Beautiful Day any day when your God stands in your way.
And a donkey talks, "am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?" Wait, has that ever happened before that a donkey spoke? And how is it that Balaam answers the donkey back? Wouldn't you freak out if your dog started talking to you?
Then! The Lord Adonai --- and Lord is not in all caps like it usually is in the OT --- opened the eyes of Balaam. Balaam then saw the angel of the Lord standing in his way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And Balaam bowed.
And what's the question from the angel? "Why have you struck your donkey these three times?" Numb 22:32.
It's like a question we've heard before in this OT: Where are you? Gen 3:9. Who told you? Gen 3:11. Have you eaten of the tree---what have you done? Gen 3:11. Why are you angry? Gen 4:6. What have you done??? Gen 4:10. Who has made man's mouth? Is it not I, the LORD? Exo 4:11. God came to oppose Balaam. God stood in his way.
Eight years ago stood in my way one day. I didn't recognize Him. May I simply say that He opened my eyes to see and I have never been the same. More in love with Him; more detached from this world; more grasped than I could have ever imagined.
He is enough!
COME BOLDLY: Timeless Prayers
Father, please open our eyes this very day to see that it is You standing in our way. It's not the difficult person in our family; it's not the challenging person at work; it's not the fickle friend who talks behind our backs; it's not those distant looks we get every day from people pretending to be nice but they're really not. Father, it is You standing in our way. And it's a Beautiful Day because you will not leave us to ourselves not to figure out all this mess on our own. You are so good! Come, LORD Jesus!
PHOTO: Fisherman's Wharf. I rounded the corner and here was the sight I saw. Couldn't believe it. In my heart, I know it is my God Who has stood in my way. And I have never been the same. Never will be again. Come, Lord Jesus!
Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you! Have I now any power of my own to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that must I speak.” - May the Lord's words pour out of my mouth instead of my own. (And may I be silent when I need to be silent.)
ReplyDeletelove, love what you wrote....may His words pour out of my mouth instead of my own and oh, may I be silent when I need to be silent. This is so hard for a woman with way too many words to be used up in one day. I so often pray for Him to put a guard over my mouth when I go into a group situation so that I do not ramble or speak out of turn. I am thinking that I need to do it ALL the time. I can be silent when I need to be......just too many words inside.
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