I Don’t Want To Miss What Talking Donkeys See

The story of Balaam is deeper than my mind can go this morning.

Or my clock will allow.

I’ve reread so many verses and looked at several commentaries and still………..

I have questions.

Lots of them.

Did God ultimately want Balaam to go with Balak’s men or not?

The command to “Not go,” seems to be followed with a “Go.”

But once Balaam is on the road,

his donkey has a supernatural experience and does its best to turn Balaam around…

or at least redirect his steps.

Balaam seems caught up in the mission by this time,

and when his donkey finally talks to him after being beaten several times,

Balaam doesn’t even flinch.

He replies to the animal on which he is riding as if talking to a donkey is an every-day experience.

It is in this moment that God chooses to open Balaam’s eyes.

Suddenly, he see what the donkey has seen all along –

An angel of the Lord is standing in his path,

sword drawn,

ready to kill Balaam if he continues to move forward.

In this moment, Balaam realizes all power and wisdom come from above –

not from himself.

With sincere humility, he offers to turn around and go home if it is evil in God’s eyes to continue.

However, now that God has Balaam’s full attention, he sends him on his way –

with a message for Balak and a blessing for the Israelites –

the very thing Balak did not want to hear.

If I’m really honest this morning,

which I always try to be,

this story confuses me.

And if I’m honest again,

 the path of my own life confuses me sometimes too.

Which way does God want me to go?

Doors open.

I walk through them.

Yet there are times I find myself wondering if this where I’m really supposed to be.

Have I gotten so caught up in a mission or a goal that I miss the voice of a talking donkey?

And what the talking donkey sees?

I hope not.

I want my eyes opened.

I want to see what Balaam’s donkey saw.

I want to know when the direction of my feet

does not match the direction of God’s will for my life.

Psalm 16:11 says,

You make known to me the path of life;
    you will fill me with joy in your presence,
    with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

And Jeremiah 29:13 says,

I’m just a sheep, Lord, listening for the voice of a donkey.

(Today’s reading was from Numbers 21-24.)