Out of the Mouths of . . . - All Our Daily Bread Daily Devotionals for 2024

Bible in a Year : Genesis 27-28, Matthew 8:18-34

Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me.”
Numbers 22:34

Today's Scripture & Insight : Numbers 22:21-23, 31-35

What if you could understand what your dog was saying? New technology uses “bark” recognition to help determine canines’ feelings when they bark. The high-tech collars interpret dogs’ barks using data from more than ten thousand barks to identify the emotion they’re expressing. Though the collars don’t enable a word translation, they do foster a greater understanding between owner and pet.

God used an animal to get Balaam’s attention too. Balaam saddled his donkey to travel to Moab in response to God’s instructions to “go . . . but do only what I tell you” (Numbers 22:20). The donkey stopped when it saw God’s angel “standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand,” though Balaam couldn’t see it (v. 23). Balaam continued to try to press forward, so God enabled the donkey to speak in human words. When Balaam’s eyes were finally opened to the danger, “he bowed low and fell facedown” (v. 31), admitting his inward intention to either collect a reward or curse God’s people contrary to God’s instructions (vv. 15-18, 37-38). “I have sinned,” he said. “I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me” (v. 34).

May we heed the instructions God gives us in the pages of the Bible, through the Holy Spirit’s guidance, and in the wise counsel of others—not just outwardly, but inwardly, too.

By: Kirsten Holmberg

Reflect & Pray
In what area do you give the appearance of obedience without the inward intention? How might God be calling your attention to that?

Heavenly Father, thank You for lovingly guiding and turning me away from sin and things that aren’t good for me.