WHAT SHALL WE CHOOSE... COMFORT OR TRUTH?

There is an interesting story in the Old Testament of the Bible about a king named Balak. Balak was ruler of the Moabite people during the time when Moses and the Israelites were preparing to take possession of their "promised" land. The Moabites, to their horror, were situated directly on the route that would take this blossoming nation to their homeland. We read that "Moab was terrified... filled with dread because of the Israelites" (Numbers 22:3).

Now Balak, like many of the people of his day was a "spiritual" man. That is, he believed that there was more to this world than meets the eye. In those days, if one nation grew stronger than another the people would assume that that nations god was more powerful. Balak knew that he could not defeat his enemy so he first chose an alternative to fighting; He sought the help of a renowned "seer" (a man who practiced divination). His goal? Have the enemy cursed so that they would be unable to harm his kingdom!

What Balak failed to understand was that the Israelites were under the blessing of God. No matter what he or any other prophet/seer/diviner tried against them, it would end in failure. Rather than consider that his enemies possessed something that he did not (the knowledge and blessing of God) and enquire of it, Balak tried to find an easy way out. He hoped the seer would make his problems go away.

Many of us will at some point or another face a similar situation as what Balak encountered. No, we are not rulers over large kingdoms and most of us do not face annihilation by an enemy but there is something we share. You see at some time in our lives the presence or kingdom of God will cross our paths. We will come to a cross roads where we must decide for ourselves what we believe. Like Balak, most of us are uncomfortable with the idea of change. This king showed that he would rather perish in war than consider what his enemies had to offer. In the same way we are a people who tend to desire nothing more than the status quo. We like what is comfortable and we are comforted by what we know. Thoughts of the unknown and of change can be a terrifying thing for us.

I believe our destiny depends on what choice we make when faced with God. If we choose to ignore Him and fight under our own strength we, like Balak before us, will perish. But if we decide like Moses that following God is the only path worth travelling... we will be blessed indeed.