August 1, 2024

Numbers 24:1-14 (HCSB)
24 Since Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go to seek omens as on previous occasions, but turned toward the wilderness. 2 When Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him, 3 and he proclaimed his poem: The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eyes are opened, 4 the oracle of one who hears the sayings of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls into a trance with his eyes uncovered: 5 How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, your dwellings, Israel. 6 They stretch out like river valleys, like gardens beside a stream, like aloes the Lord has planted, like cedars beside the water. 7 Water will flow from his buckets, and his seed will be by abundant water. His king will be greater than Agag, and his kingdom will be exalted. 8 God brought him out of Egypt; He is like the horns of a wild ox for them. He will feed on enemy nations and gnaw their bones; he will strike them with his arrows. 9 He crouches, he lies down like a lion or a lioness—who dares to rouse him? Those who bless you will be blessed, and those who curse you will be cursed. 10 Then Balak became furious with Balaam, struck his hands together, and said to him, “I summoned you to put a curse on my enemies, but instead, you have blessed them these three times. 11 Now go to your home! I said I would reward you richly, but look, the Lord has denied you a reward.” 12 Balaam answered Balak, “Didn’t I previously tell the messengers you sent me: 13 If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go against the Lord’s command, to do anything good or bad of my own will? I will say whatever the Lord says. 14 Now I am going back to my people, but first, let me warn you what these people will do to your people in the future.”

Jason Ricciardi
Do you remember the candy stores they used to have in the mall? The ones with open containers of every type of candy your heart desires...the ones with big scoops to fill even bigger bags? So...when I was a kid, my family made our way into one of those stores and eventually we made our way out. A while later my mom found my brother and I eating candy and quickly figured out that it had come by way of a five-finger discount. It was NOT fun when we had to go back in deep shame, admit what we did, and pay for what we took. I can’t forget this story because my mom reminds me of it when the subject of my childhood comes up. I was, apparently, quite a handful. I believe I took the candy for several reasons –I wasn’t satisfied with what my parents gave me, I didn’t trust them to fulfill my desires, and I didn’t have the means to pay for it. I think Balaam likely went to Balak with similar motives. He wasn’t satisfied with what God had given him. He didn’t trust God to bless him. He didn’t have any other way to get what he wanted. Inherently, when we disobey God, we have those same motives. Short of God putting His message in your mouth three times over, how willing are you to follow Him?