connection.

ever since i read it during my mission trip in jamaica, i have loved deuteronomy 23:5.

"but the lord your god would not listen to balaam, but instead turned your curse into a blessing for you because the lord your god loves you."

THEN....last night i was reading in numbers and read about WHO BALAAM ACTUALLY IS!!! i never knew, and now that verse is even cooler to me....

see, balaam was into divination. he either blessed or cursed people, and his blessings or curses held weight.....they came true. so, balak wanted a curse put on the israelites. they had defeated several people and taken over lands, and he was afraid his land was next. so he called upon balaam and balaam came. (cool side story: on his journey there, god had an angel block the way, so his donkey veered....balaam got angry and whipped the donkey....then the donkey spoke to him and god opened his eyes to see the angel.....wow.) anyway, 3 times balaam blessed the israelites instead of cursing them because he spoke words that god directly put into his mouth. even though the israelites complained ALL the time and disowned god and moses repeatedly, god refused to let his people be cursed, even though that was the intent.

so deuteronomy 23:5 is talking about this well-known man, who intended to curse the israelites, but couldnt because god wouldnt let him. in fact, not only would god not let him, but he made him bless his people.

trust god to turn your curses into blessings for you....because he really does love you.