Watch Your Mouth!

Today in my devotional reading of the Bible I read the story of Balaam in Numbers 22-24. I have always been a bit confused by this story in one aspect.

God told Balaam to go with Balak, but sent him with a warning. So, he got the go ahead from God to go, right? Why then does he send an angel that threatens him with his life and accuses him of taking a reckless path, when God said he could go?

Here is what I learned today:

1. When God says, "you may go," it is not a blank check to do what ever you want. There are situations when God will tell you to go a certain direction in life that is unconventional or a bit dangerous. In those cases we need to realize that we need to tread very lightly and carefully. We have to recognize spiritually dangerous situations. Evangelistically dating is one of those situations, witnessing at a bar or pub, doing an outreach at a Mardi Gras festival, or taking a job for a company that is linked to or produces some product that may be on the edge of questionable. God may say go, but he still may have some strict stipulations.

2. When you think you have a word from God, you better make sure it is from God!!! Balaam had motivating factors that I think made him want to go, even though God initially said, "Don't go." There was a monetary pay-off for going. He was being hired by the most prominent man in the area. He was being let in on an issue with the highest level of national security interests. Balaam was predisposed to go and curse Israel because of the benefits he would receive for the job. God needed to get his attention and he did with a talking donkey and an angel in his path!

When you think you may have a word from the Lord to share with a person, you may not be sure enough to share it yet! Before you open your mouth, you need to know what God has given you to say, down to the word. Don't run up to people telling them you have a word from the Lord and then try and figure out what it is. If the Lord has a word for you to share you will not be confused or searching for the words to use. Perhaps you need to slow down, wait on the Lord a bit more and then share a more precise word. Balaam was on a reckless path (22:32) because he was not really prepared to say exactly what God wanted him to say.

Maybe we as Christians living in an age of grace need to remember that God was ready to kill Balaam because he was not paying attention to God closely enough in his prophetic ministry. Perhaps we pray and ask God for an answer that we like, because we really want to do our will not his will. The Lord loves us and wants the best, perfection, for us.