For the last few days I have been focusing on Numbers 23:19 and Isaiah 43:19. We will talk about Isaiah a different day. Today I wanted to look at Numbers. The set up is that Balak meets with Balaam (neither of which were qualifiers when we were thinking of baby names by the way). Balak wants Balaam to curse his enemies, who just happen to be Israel. Balaam then tells Balak that he can't curse them because 'who can curse who God hasn't cursed'... basically God is with His people and you can't do anything about it. But Balak is persistent (we have to give him that) and tells Balaam.... maybe it is just this spot lets change our position and try again to curse God's people.
But then Balaam (it would be less confusing if one started with a letter that wasn't B) tells him something amazing... that was meant for the people of Israel, but as God's children, I believe it is meant for us as well.
He says
"God is not human, that he should lie,
not a human being, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
Does he promise and not fulfill?"
Does he speak and then not act?
Does he promise and not fulfill?"
How amazing is that. If God says something in your life, about your life, about you. That is it. He said it and it is! How important that is to remember. Earlier in this chapter God said His people would not be cursed that there were his. Just because the vantage point changed or the situation looked different doesn't mean God goes back on his word. If God gave you a word and a purpose, that doesn't change, even if things look different, God isn't.
The chapter ends with Balak taking Balaam to a different location in hopes that God will curse his enemies from there... I can tell you now, he doesn't succeed.
How many times though are we like Balak. I know I am... maybe I am not trying to get God to change his mind, maybe I am afraid he will. Have you ever felt God lead you to something - a new job, moving to a different city, taking on a new role in church, giving up everything to pursue missions... you heard him as clear as Balak heard his donkey (Numbers 22) and maybe you questioned it maybe you didn't.. but you followed it because you had enough faith that said 'God says'.
Then... then the view changed, the outlook is different and you start to worry maybe being here in this spot will change what God said.. but just like with Balak and Balaam, it didn't matter where they went God was the same.. It doesn't matter what the circumstances look like, even if they don't look good from any angle... what matters is that God doesn't change his mind, he doesn't lie... Sure sometimes he takes on paths that are 'the long way around' but he never takes us half way to drop us and decide he wants to pursue something else. This is what we can put our faith on...
