Lake Eufaula Christian Church
Have you ever cruised down the highway at a really good clip and then, bam! Out of nowhere, you hit a roadblock. Everything was smooth sailing, but now your GPS is covered in red flags and yellow yield signs. What a pain!
It’s no less frustrating if we’re trying to live with purpose, and we hit a huge roadblock on the path we thought pleasing to God. We may need a change as demonstrated in Balaam’s Bible story, which starts with Moses and millions of Israelites completing their 40-year detour of the wilderness and arriving at the border of Moab.
Pagan King Balak didn’t want them on his territory, so he summoned the famous sorcerer Balaam to “come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me…. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.” (Number 22-5-6). But God gave Balaam a different command: “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.” (Numbers 22:12) Balaam didn’t go until King Balak sweetened his offer. “Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me.” (Number 22:1617). Greed won out over God’s desire, and Balaam started his road trip of nearly 400 miles to Moab.
Have you ever started down a path you knew was wrong, only to live to regret it? Balaam did, and God was angry. He sent an angel to block Balaam’s path, but his spiritual blindness prevented him from seeing the angel—Balaam’s first roadblock. His donkey saw, swerved off the path, and Balaam beat it back on the path.
The angel appeared a second time on a narrow path, walled on both sides, and the donkey “ pressed chose to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again.” (Numbers 22:24–25) The next time the angel came, the donkey lay down and Balaam beat it again. “Then the Lord opened. Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn.” (Number 22:31). When Balaam finally realized God had set up three righteous roadblocks to keep him from Moab,, he bowed low and fell facedown, confessed his sin, and agreed to please God by turning back. The same reaction is what we need when we’ve strayed from God’s moral path: humble ourselves, acknowledge our sins, repent and turn back.
We at LECC are learning from Biblical people whose faith was shaped on the road. We’d love for you to join us at 415987 Highway 9, Eufaula, for Sunday school at 10 a.m., worship at 11 a.m., and Wednesday all-age activities at 6:30 p.m. Put aside any roadblock keeping you from church and join us for our summer roads trips through the Bible.
God Bless You!
Jeremy Little, Minister
