WHO'S YOUR DONKEY?

I will instruct you and

teach you in the way you

should go; I will guide you

with My eye.

Psalm 32:8

There were probably many Sunday schools who use the same materials who had a recent lesson in Numbers telling of Balaam and his donkey.  For years, I didn't pay much attention to the incident, but it really had a huge impact on me with now teaching it. 

 Simply, I'll review the bulk of the incident.  The king of Moab called for a medium by the name of Balaam from a distant city.  Balaam began the trip riding on a donkey that had been his for years.  However, on this trip, his donkey's bahavior was curious and suspect.

Three times, Balaams donkey misbehaved in such a way as to interrupt the trip for Balaam.  Three times the donkey avoided something only it could see...the angel of the Lord in the roadway with sword drawn.  That angel was there to make sure Balaam didn't get to achieve his task...that of putting a curse on God's people who were in route to the Promised Lane.

After it was beaten on three times, God gave the donkey a voice and God also got into the conversation.  Something I had never noticed in this incident was that the donkey saw the danger, but it was invisible to Balaam.  The donkey, by God's leading, had actually saved the life of it's master.  Through this event, Balaam came to yield himself to God.

When finished, I asked my ladies, "Who's your donkey?"  You see, we have all had one or more through the years.  It's a person who can often see things ahead of us we don't discern.  It can be any incident of life where God may use others to lovingly give us a caution regarding  a risky decision we are about to make.  At those times, God may have given a friend some insight we need to hear and perhaps heed.  You may have been one of those donkey's in time past, speaking with love and caution to another person.  Most of us have been on both sides at one time or another.

Sooooo....who's your donkey?

Father I thank You for those folks you have impressed to be honest with me regarding a questionable decision I may be considering.  You work in so many wonderful ways to love and guide us, even at times in unusual ways.  Thank You for those who have cared enough to speak up.  In Jesus' precious name....Amen.