Devotions
Fjeldberg – Devotion for April 1st, 2025
READ (Num 22:27-31)
“When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff. Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth and she said to Balaam, ‘What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?’ Balaam answered the donkey, ‘You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.’ The donkey said to Balaam, ‘Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?’ ‘No,’ he said. Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel standing in the road with his sword drawn. Sohe bowed low and fell facedown, “
REFLECT
The Bible warns in many places the consequences of being a fool in not following the Lord’s instructions.
Balaam had been instructed by God in verses Num 22:12 not to make the trip nor curse the Israelites for the Moabites. In Num 22:20 God changes the instructions to permit the trip. But Balaam went apparently with the intention to issue the curse. Twice before, the donkey had seen the angel blocking the path and turned aside but Balaam forced her to continue. The third time the donkey laid down.
Balaam finally realizes in his conversation with his donkey that he was a fool in acting contrary to the Lord’s instructions. He was such a fool that writers centuries later warned in 2 Peter 2:15 and Jude 11 not to act as he had.
We should be expecting the Lord’s guidance and then obey. His instructions may come in many ways though probably more subtly than a talking donkey.
PRAY:
Lord, we know you desire for us to walk in the ways of righteousness. Open our hearts to recognize Your guiding Hand. Amen
Devotions by Larry W.