Numbers 21-22

When you get a "word" from God, what do you do with it? When you have prayed and sought God, read His word and are given godly counsel and then feel like you know God's desire, what do you do? The obvious answer is, "obey."

But what if it's not the answer you wanted to hear? What if you get a "no" when you wanted a "yes," or the other way around? Then what do you do? Do you still listen to God, or do you follow the desires of your heart?

Balaam was a prophet of the LORD. Some how he knew the God of Israel as his God and his relationship with his God was very strong. But one day some men come asking him to curse another people. Inquiring of God, he finds out that he must not go. But the people step up their offer, Balaam again inquires of God and receives a different message, "If the men have come to call you, ... go with them." So Balaam goes. In the very next verse Scripture says that God was angry because Balaam went and He positioned the angel of the LORD in front of Balaam as an adversary. Here follows the story of the talking donkey.

But my question is, "Why was God mad?" Did He not say that if they call, he was to follow? The answer to me seems to lie in Balaam's heart.

Balaam had these men come before. He had sought out God before and gotten a definitive answer in Numbers 22:12, "Do not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed." Balaam relays this message and stays put at Pethor. However the second time Balaam is summoned by "more numerous and distinguished" men and is offered substantial honor and riches.

So even though God had been very clear the first time, Balaam hopes that the answer somehow this time will be different, so he petitions God again. And God "gives him over" to his desires. Balaam wanted the honor and prestige. Scripture notes that he arose in the morning and saddled his donkey... he had gotten the answer he wanted, or at least hear enough to let him go... and he was quick to do so. But this secondary inquiry seems to me a bit rebellious. Tempted by the offer, Balaam wants to rationalize the trip.

I have done this before. I look for another angle, some how trying to get a different word from God, convincing myself that my word is God's real word. This is the heart of rationalizing. It is creating rational lies that you will believe long enough to let you get away with whatever ever it is your flesh desires to do. The bad thing is God lets us do it. He is not an authoritarian Father demanding His will upon us, rather as free moral agents God grants to us the mind to seek and follow or to choose and go another direction.

Hearing and obeying God takes a very discerning spirit. It takes quietness and submission. It takes grace and humility. Otherwise, we go to God in vain with a predetermined plan in mind only seeking His blessing ramrodding through our own agenda.

What are you doing today with the situations you face?