Our Father,
This Luke 11:2 Prayer is a collective Plea,
We all agree and that should change this very day,
How we live, How we love, and How we suffer in any way.
"There are many who desire to die the death of the righteous,
but do not endeavour to live the life of the righteous;
gladly would they have an end like theirs, but not a way like theirs." Matthew Henry.
Do we want to die right and not live right?
Balaam loved something more than the love of his God. Competing Desires.
He loved Balak as much as God. He loved ambition.
He lived to please whoever was in front of him.
"Must I not be careful to speak what God puts in my mouth"
was his reply to Balak. Numbers 23:12. Sounds good but it's not right with God.
The words of Bonhoeffer come to mind as I read this passage:
There is no more significant moment in history than this present hour.
May our privilege be to bow our heads and pray,
Our Father Who Art in Heaven, Hallowed Be Thy Name!
We need each other to pray to live right this day.
Oh, how we need Divine Power to live and love and suffer and wrestle.
PRAYER FROM PSALMS:
Dear God, Oh, hear our prayers. Give ear to the words of our mouth. Even strangers rise against me. Behold, You God are my Helper to live my life this day, Your Way. You, O God, are the Upholder of my life! Psalm 54 ~ a prayer of David while hiding for his life. A prayer of mine so desperate for You to help me live fully this day. Luke 18:1 - we ought to always pray and not lose heart!
OVERVIEW: Numbers 23-25
In today's reading we experience the gamut of human actions.
ReplyDeleteBalaam who says whatever seems best at the time, I suppose we would call it talking out of both sides of his mouth.
Some of the Israelites sinning with the Midianites.
Aaron's grandson killing an Israelite and a Midianite because he was truly zealous for the Lord.
I pray my desires are truly holy and not for the things of this world. I pray I am truly zealous for the Lord.
I don't know about the rest of the Pearls, but I am having difficulty with these scriptures. I read them, and then read them again in the Message.
ReplyDeleteGod has done so much for Israel, and they keep flaunting sin in his face.
What I am getting from the concept: you can't have it both ways. Commit ourselves 100% for God. Total obedience in everything is the only way to fully serve Him.
This is a very basic concept, why do we keep struggling with it?
I'm guilty, broken and searching.
You are not alone. I struggle with "seeing" what He wants me to see in these readings.What others "see" and share bless me and help me "see" what He is saying. It it baffles me too that we keep struggling with the total obedience concept...you would think we would have learned from the example that He has shown us....He had it written down so that we could learn. Yet, we still don't learn.
DeleteYou are definitely not alone, Jan and Mary Lou. I read these today and didn't "feel" a lesson, except Balaam's sorry way of following the Lord. We know these aren't just stories though-
ReplyDeleteIt seems a good lesson in obedience, and I can relate on that level. I have a rebellious heart. I know the right thing to do often and can't bring myself (in humility) to say and do it. Disobedience and pride are my sins, yet I, even in knowing this, seem to do the things I hate.
There is joy in obedience--I have known it also, yet I can be my own worst enemy. We can oppose God and hurt ourselves and everybody else around us, or we can submit to Him and be part of His plan, resulting in JOY.
Life is messy.
ReplyDelete