October 6, 2024 - Numbers‬ ‭23‬:‭7‬-‭8

“This was the message Balaam delivered: “Balak summoned me to come from Aram; the king of Moab brought me from the eastern hills. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me! Come and announce Israel’s doom.’ But how can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I condemn those whom the Lord has not condemned?” Numbers 23:7-8 NLT

Lord, we see here how king Balak wanted the Prophet Balaam to curse the people of Israel. He offered Balaam a great payment for cursing them, and not doing as the king wanted could have cost him. Yet, we see in this passage how Balaam had more fear of you than of king Balak. He would not do what the king asked of him, because you told him that the Israelites were blessed by you. Lord, are there places in our lives where we are doing something that others want us to do in an effort to gain their approval or some kind of reward, but in doing so we are coming against you? We never want to come against you or curse what you have blessed. Is there any person or group of people that we have come against, that you have ordained and placed in the position they are in? We see how David, even though Saul was not walking in your ways and was trying to kill him, refused to speak badly or kill Saul because he was your anointed King. Help us learn from these two men. Let us trust you and your ways and not come against something or someone you have placed where they are. Lord, help us not to be jealous or slanderous when we don’t believe someone else deserves what they have, or we feel we deserve more. Teach us how to trust your ways and your timing. Teach us to be like Balaam who asked you before he acted, then walked in obedience to what you told him even if it made the king mad. Help us want to please you more than we want to please any man. Let us live to glorify you and not ourselves.

In Jesus name, amen.