His Ways Are Not Our Own!

Have you ever been sitting in traffic, in a hurry, and Mr. Slow gets in front of you, to make it even worse? And, it's always one of those situations where you are at just the right place on the road, that there is no way to pass this Sunday driver. You just want to pull your hair out...or better yet, his.

Or, maybe I'm behind someone in line somewhere-awaiting my turn, to check out some products that I want to buy. Well, lo and behold...the cash register decides it wants to go berserk. I'm all too aware that it's just because it's ME standing there...I just know. JUST MY LUCK.

Ever felt that way? Man, I can't tell you how many times I just want to crawl back in the bed and start all over when it's that kind of day. (oh, and that's after I take everyone out in my own mind, that I feel like had those personal vendettas against me!!!

:-)

I certainly don't mean those things literally, just figuratively speaking...you know what I'm saying!

Bad luck? No such thing. Good luck? No such thing. Coincidence? NO SUCH THING. None of that is Scriptural. God has a plan for each of us, individually, each and every day. He has everything mapped out for our own good, and His glory.

I was just thinking of a story in Scripture last night, that is a small story...and one of my favorites...one you just don't hear a lot about.

It is really a miracle performed by God, in order to shed light on the sin of man in his pursuit of trying to "have my way" all the time. You know...when I just think that my way is best for me...AND everyone else involved?

Yeah.

This is the story of Balaam. King Balak wanted Balaam to go a certain way to help him-in "taking out" some people of Israel who had been distressing the children of Moab. King Balak was over the Moabites. Balaam started out with good intention (to wait upon the Lord for answers)...but then let that 'ole flesh get in his way (through much pressure from earthly authority) and he decide to go on and help the King.

See for yourself, the easily read, ESV version (compliments of Crosswalk.com)

the story of Balaam

(see if you see a miracle that you just don't hear of these days that God performs in these verses!):

• Balak Summons Balaam

• Numbers 22:

• 9.
• And God came to Balaam and said, "Who are these men with you?"

• 10.
• And Balaam said to God, "Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying,

• 11.
• 'Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. Now come, curse them for me. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them and drive them out.'"

• 12.
• God said to Balaam, "You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed."

• 13.
• So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, "Go to your own land, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you."

• 14.
• So the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak and said, "Balaam refuses to come with us."

• 15.
• Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and more honorable than these.

• 16.
• And they came to Balaam and said to him, "Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: 'Let nothing hinder you from coming to me,

• 17.
• for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Come, curse this people for me.'"

• 18. But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, "Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the LORD my God to do less or more.

• 19. So you, too, please stay here tonight, that I may know what more the LORD will say to me."

• 20. And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you."

• 21. So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.

• 22. But God's anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him.

• 23. And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road.

• 24. Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side.

• 25. And when the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam's foot against the wall. So he struck her again.

• 26. Then the angel of the LORD went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left.

• 27. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

• 28. 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?"

• 29. And Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you."

• 30. And the donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?" And he said, "No."

• 31. Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face.

• 32. And the angel of the LORD said to him, "Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me.

• 33. The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live."

• 34. Then Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back."

• 35. And the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you." So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak.

OK, am I the only one that is a little freaked-out about the fact that God caused an animal to SPEAK???? :-0

Talk about wild. I think that I would either have to absolutely pass out right there, or have a heart attack on the spot and die at the opening of that donkey's mouth to speak to me!

Now THAT'S a way to get someone's attention.

I think maybe I'll rethink that whole impatient thing, when I'm in line or in traffic. It is very possible (since there is no such thing at coincidence), that God may very well be protecting me from something, someone, or even MYSELF when I am being forced to WAIT...in ANY situation or circumstance.

I thank God today, for interruptions! For His timing, His purpose, and His ways...which (thankfully), are not my own!

Proverbs 5:21 KJV

For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.

Proverbs 16:2 KJV

All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.

Job 34:21 KJV

For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.

Isaiah 55:9 KJV

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher