09/07/2025
Do we trip over your feet as we begin our walk of faith? Do we have a certain understanding of God's will for our lives only to fall flat on your faces when we try to walk in it? Well, what do you do if that happens? Do we spring at once to our feet again, slowly pull ourselves up, or just lay there and cry? Then again, maybe the Lord makes the road before us straight and removes all the obstacles from our path; perhaps He delights in our way and we do not trip at all.
“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.”
Psalms 37:23-24 ESV
When we are truly walking in the will of God and He is delighting in our way, we still might stumble but He will not allow us to fall headlong... so why, on occasion, do we fall at all? Why do we fall when we are convinced we are within God's will? Could it be that we have gathered a bit of information and then started running with it before we really know the whole story?
In the world of business timing can be everything, and in the rush to bring an idea to fruition it is quite common to see a company rush an unfinished concept or product to market. Quite often this product or vision is ahead of its time or in other words... the world is not ready to embrace it yet.
Are you old enough to remember a product called “AskJeeves”? It was a forerunner of many ideas that later became what we recognize today as Google. But when it was released the technology needed to support it was not quite there yet, and portions of the idea weren't complete either. It was a brilliant idea that was ahead of its time. We know this by looking at the incredible success of the more timely product… Google.
So often we hear God speaking to us about something He wishes us to do, and then before He has completed His sentence we run off to do it... we cut Him off in mid-sentence. If you are a parent I am certain you can recall occasions with your children in which you had to shout "WAIT, COME BACK! I'M NOT FINISHED TALKING YET!" Are you smiling to yourself? Did this cause you to recall those times?
If we are able to stop the child and finish our instructions then all is well, but if not, then they may be in danger; they may be running headlong towards a busy street, or to grab a sharp object. When this happens a few times we learn to begin with the warning, or words that guide the execution. We do this so that we instruct them safely in what we wish for them to do. God does this with us as well, He begins with words like "fear not", or when speaking through Isaiah He says, "listen to me".
“"Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the Lord: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug.”
Isaiah 51:1 ESV
There are so many ways in which the Lord speaks, or communicates, with us but are we waiting for him to finish His thought before we rush off? Did we listen to the body language of the donkey, or did he have to miraculously speak to us like Balaam's donkey did to him. Do you remember this story? First the donkey saw the angel in the road and turned, but Balaam missed what was really happening:
“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.”
Numbers 22:23 ESV
Even when the donkey tried to communicate a second time Balaam missed the queue... he already had in his mind what he wanted to happen, but he was still heading towards danger...
“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.”
Numbers 22:25 ESV
The donkey was trying to tell Balaam something but his mind would not allow him to hear it. He was fixed on going with the princes of Balak... after all, God had told him to... right?
So, the donkey tried to avoid the danger once again:
“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.”
Numbers 22:27 ESV
It was at this point that God began to shout. He did this by opening the mouth of the donkey and speaking through her. This is how He began:
“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?"”
Numbers 22:28 ESV
You see, when God had first told Balaam to go with these men He had also told him to only do what He told him to do. Do you remember this portion of the scripture? Let’s listen again…
“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."”
Numbers 22:20 ESV
But Balaam didn't wait for God to say “alright... now you can go with them.” Instead, he got up in the morning and just left with them. In fact, God wasn't through speaking yet. Balaam was running off halfcocked. So now, after having a miraculous conversation with his donkey and facing an angel that might have harmed him, he gets the rest of God's instructions...
“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.”
Numbers 22:35 ESV
Are we patient enough to speak with God? Do we hear His voice and then cut Him off in mid-sentence in our zeal to do His bidding? If so then we are destined to fall. We might fall and jump right back up, only to fall again, or perhaps we fall so hard that we get up slowly, only to fall a final time... flat on our faces where we lay and cry out unto the Lord. Does this sound familiar to you?
Knowing when God has finished speaking to us requires patience and knowing Him. We need to know Him well enough to understand when He has actually completed His thought concerning what He wishes us to do. We need to hear the words "go now" and pause just long enough to determine if they are followed by the word "and". If we wait on God, and we understand fully His will for us, then He will never let us fall. His hand will catch us every time.
Are you one of those who will run off halfcocked? Or will you receive what you believe is the green light to go with the princes of Balak but not wait to hear the complete message that He has for you? Are you taking God's will into your own hands? If so, then let me be your donkey this morning... let me lay down in the road to stop you just long enough to hear the rest of what God has for you. His desire is that you not fall; His desire is that you will do His bidding by remaining in His will.
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for the guidance you provide me with in my life. Thank you for the great things you have laid out before me as I do your will. Holy Father, give me the patience to listen intently as you complete your instructions to me. Open my ears and keep my senses keen as you continue to communicate your will to me. I know that you will never let me fall if I just remain within your plan, so when I attempt to take that plan into my own hands... let the donkey speak to me Father and give me the humility I need to listen to you, and obey your instructions. Your will is always “YOUR” will Father, and too often I try to claim ownership of it; I confuse my role in your plan as being that of master... when in fact I am meant to serve. Teach me Lord and keep me forever perfect and obedient within your will. You are my God and perfect in every way... I humble myself before you; I place myself in your hand, and I honor and give you the glory always for everything you ask of me.
Amen!
Rich Forbes