Speaking Thru Anything

But Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, "I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the road to oppose me." Numbers 22:34

God: Speakin' Through Anything!
By Rev. William Dohle

Have you ever been driving in your car when a song comes on the radio that speaks directly to the situation you were thinking about?

Or you pass by a sign that seems to shout out your name?

Or a person calls who you really needed to speak to?

I have! More times than I can count!

I can't tell you how often I've been thinking or praying or talking outloud to God or myself when I hear something on the radio. I turn it up and the song's lyrics hit me in the gut. I try to get myself home, teary eyed, cause I know that God spoke to me then. Not by some almighty word from on high, but through the lyrics of a simple song.

That's how God works. And that's how God speaks. God can speak literally through anyone and anything. And he does it all the time.

One of the most humorous examples of this is found in the book of Numbers. The story is named by the event. We call it "Balaam's Donkey" and it marks the time when God spoke out of the mouth of a donkey.

Balaam, the prophet, was on his way to do Balak, King of Midian's bidding. He was going to curse the people of Israel for him. Despite being told that God can't curse a people he blesses, Balak still insists on sending Balaam to try anyway.

Balaam obeys his king and goes to curse them. Only God sends an angel to stand in his way.

Balaam is so distracted, though, he can't see what is right in front of his eyes. His donkey sees the angel, however.

"When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam; and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with the staff."

The donkey was trying to alert Balaam that God was standing in his way. But Balaam doesn't see it and blames the donkey instead. So God does what God does. He opens the mouth of the donkey.

"Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and it said to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?" Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have made a fool of me! I wish i had a sword in my hand! I would kill you right now!" But the donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey, which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I been in the habit of treating you this way?" And he said, "No."(22:28-30)

Notice that Balaam didn't recognize God's voice even when the donkey started speaking to him! It's only when God opens the eyes of Balaam and he sees the angel standing there that he recognizes that it was God. Then the angel says: "The donkey saw me, and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let it live."(22:33)

How often have we failed to recognize God's voice in the people around us? Probably more than we even know about. How often have we been so busy with our own lives that we fail to stop and appreciate the lives God has surrounded us with? How often have those people saved our skins? How often have they been truly sent from God?

We pray for open ears, open eyes, and open hearts for this reason. God is good and God surrounds us with good reminders of God's love. But we so easily get distracted. So we pray for openness. Open eyes to see the messengers of God for who they are. Open ears that we may hear the message they have to share with us. And open hearts that we might take what God is telling and showing us through them and learn from it.

Gracious God, open us up to your Word spoken all around us that we might see, hear, and experience the love you have prepared for us today. Amen.