The Tribune

By MINISTER KEITH EVANS

You might be asking what in tarnation I’m talking about, don’t let the donkey speak?

I was thinking on the biblical account of the wayward prophet Balaam who made his way to Moab for that lucrative honorarium. Listen, why do so many of us have to go through some extraordinary event to make U-turns towards God?

I’ve heard extraordinary testimonies of people who have been to jail, had a gun pointed at them and the trigger jammed. Persons who flipped over five times in their vehicle, surviving miraculously. Some had near death experiences, or lost a loved one, some even suffered horrendously to the point of considering ending it all.

We hear the age-old question, why do bad things happen to good people? With that being said, let’s go to our scripture text for reference. In Numbers chapters 22 to 24 we have the incredible biblical account of the prophet Balaam and King Balak of Moab.

Balaam was summoned by King Balak to curse the Israelites as Moses was leading them toward Canaan. Balak promised to pay Balaam handsomely for bringing evil upon the Hebrews, whom he feared. In the night God came to Balaam, telling him no to curse the Israelites, and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise and go with them: But only the word which I speak to you – that you shall do.” (Numbers 22: 20-30)

Balaam sent the king’s messengers away. He did, however, go with a second set of the king’s messengers after receiving the warning by God. So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab. Then God’s anger was aroused and the angel of the Lord took his stand as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. Now the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his sword drawn, and the donkey turned aside, out of the way and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to make her turn back onto the road. Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with walls on both sides. And when the donkey saw the angel, she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam’s foot against it; so he struck her again. Then the angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn. And when the donkey saw the angel, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam’s anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff. Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam: “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!” So the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever disposed to do this to you?” And he said, “No.”

Peter the apostle in his epistle said this about the prophet Balaam: “They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.” (2 Peter 2:15-16,”

God had initially sent Balaam, but the stipulation was for him to speak what thus saith the Lord. However big, bad Balaam had an agenda; a monetary one at that. He was going to curse what Yahweh had blessed based on his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And that’s impossible. Balaam was going to speak exactly what God had forbidden, and not what He had given him.

The point that I’m marking is simple: Never let yourself get to the place where God has to make something drastic happen to get your undivided attention.

C S Lewis, the great moral philosopher and author once said: “God speaks to us in our joy, and shouts to us in our pain.” Listen to me please. Take heed to the Word of God and submit to His will.

While you’re in one piece, serve Him. While things are well with, you serve Him. Don’t come to the place like Balaam ,who almost lost his life because of greed and being unscrupulous in his ways. God is always speaking, the problem is that we always don’t listen. Now, I’m not suggesting that every hardship that you’re going through means that God is speaking. But whenever some tragedy does occur, go and seek God to see if He’s speaking. What is God saying to you? God speaks to us first and foremost through the Word of God, and ultimately through His son, Jesus Christ.

So remember, don’t let the donkey speak!

• Contact Minister Keith Evans at kenazevans242@gmail.com or keithevans242@gmail.com, or follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter under Wakeupeverybody242.