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    Balaam is quite possibly one of the most interesting characters in all of the Bible, an enigmatic diviner, yet one who spoke with the one, true God. Balaam now found himself in an interesting dilemma, because he was called upon by an enemy of the Israelites to put a curse on God’s people, an ability he seems to have derived from God Himself. And God was not about to allow this to happen, but rather, He intended to use Balaam for his own purpose.
    Most of us remember the story of Balaam and his donkey from Sunday school. For me, the story was always taught in an amusing way, as the donkey avoids the angel with the sword, and Balaam gets madder and madder because the donkey keeps going where Balaam does not want it to go.
    Later on, however, I realized that this story had a much deeper meaning that a Sunday school Old Testament story. Indeed, this is a story of how God actively places in our path both the means to do His will and the obstacles to prevent us from doing otherwise.
    In our modern times, we Christians forget that God is just as active in our lives today as He was with Balaam thousands of years ago. Consider that, when something we are trying to do just does not seem like it is going to work no matter how hard we try, that could very well be because it is something that God does not want us to do. He may well have place an obstacle in our way to prevent us from acting against His will. He also helps us along our way when we seek His will. It is not an accident that we describe such opportunities as ‘a door being opened’ for us.
    So, take the story of Balaam and his donkey to heart in the day to day living of life. This is a story of God being very real and very with us. He is with us just as surely today as He was with Balaam then, and if we look, we can find His hand guiding us just as He did then.
DLH
