Do you discriminate in considering who you will receive a blessing from? No, that’s not a trick question, it’s based on the story of Balaam and his donkey that we’ve been looking at in detail in recent devotions. As we’ve learned, Balaam was a sorcerer and he was summoned by Balak, who was a known enemy of the Isrealites. Although involved in pagan practices and called upon to curse God’s people, somehow Balaam knew enough to inquire of the Lord as to whether or not it was okay to do that. In spite of hearing a clear “no,” the ignorant man proceeded until he was literally stopped by his donkey and told that he was being a fool. The donkey had seen the angel of the Lord ready to cut his master down, and because he spoke up, God had mercy on Balaam. Instead of killing him, He told him to go to the Israelites and honor them. How ironic that the one who had been summoned to curse the Jews ended up being a source of unfettered blessing! 

You see, my friend, blessings can come from very unlikely places, and they are not contingent upon performance or worthiness. It’s extremely encouraging to me that the Lord empowered a sorcerer to speak words of life to a stubborn, rebellious, and stiff-necked people who were not deserving at all in the eyes of “religion.” In God’s providence, He used a known enemy to bring a blessing, and He still does it today. All the turmoil and difficulties you face will be redeemed by His favor, which may well come from an unlikely and unorthodox source!