God Will Use An Ass

Ok! You gotta love God's sense of humour. In the bible, there are lots of stories about people who refuse to do what God has asked them to do and the consequences are usually pretty bad for that person. For instance when God asked his prophet Jonah to go to the people of Ninevah and tell them to change their wicked ways, he not only refused, he actually ran away in the opposite direction and put out to sea.

On the ship, a great storm arose and the captain knowing there was someone on board who shouldn't be there, asked that person to step forward. Jonah went shaking before the crew and confessed he had refused God's command. He asked them to toss him in the sea but they started rowing instead. The storm got even worse so they finally threw him overboard. He landed in the belly of a large whale where he stayed for three days before being spit out and walking all the way back to Ninevah.

Finally God's request was answered to the letter and the people of  Ninevah heard the message and changed their evil ways to good.  Jonah even then wasn't aware of the consequences of not obeying God immediately and began grumbling about it all to God. God argued with Jonah and asked him to think about the people of Niniveh who all would have died if his message wasnt' delivered properly. Did you notice we hear no more about Jonah after this in the bible?

My favourite story however is the one about Balaam and his lowly donkey (ass in the old bibles). King Balak had sent his men to prophet Balaam to ask him to come and curse Israel. God had told Balaam to get ready to go but not to go with the men until he had heard further from Him. Well Balaam saddled up his ass and started to go with the men before God had told him the rest of His orders.

"That night God came to Balaam and said, "If these men have come to ask you to go with them, get ready and go, but do only what I tell you." ... God was angry that Balaam was going, and as Balaam was riding along on his donkey, accompanied by his two servants, the angel of the Lord stood in the road to bar his way. 23 When the donkey saw the angel standing there holding a sword, it left the road and turned into the fields. Balaam beat the donkey and brought it back onto the road. 24 Then the angel stood where the road narrowed between two vineyards and had a stone wall on each side. 25 When the donkey saw the angel, it moved over against the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against it. Again Balaam beat the donkey. 26 Once more the angel moved ahead; he stood in a narrow place where there was no room at all to pass on either side. 27 This time, when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down. Balaam lost his temper and began to beat the donkey with his stick. 28 Then the Lord gave the donkey the power of speech, and it said to Balaam, "What have I done to you? Why have you beaten me these three times?" 29 Balaam answered, "Because you have made a fool of me! If I had a sword, I would kill you." 30 The donkey replied, "Am I not the same donkey on which you have ridden all your life? Have I ever treated you like this before?" "No," he answered. 31 Then the Lord let Balaam see the angel standing there with his sword; and Balaam threw himself face downward on the ground. 32 The angel demanded, "Why have you beaten your donkey three times like this? I have come to bar your way, because you should not be making this journey. 33 But your donkey saw me and turned aside three times. If it hadn't, I would have killed you and spared the donkey." 34 Balaam replied, "I have sinned. I did not know that you were standing in the road to oppose me; but now if you think it is wrong for me to go on, I will return home." 35 But the angel said, "Go on with these men, but say only what I tell you to say." So Balaam went on with them."

God asked  Balaam to bless Israel and nothing else. Balaak wanted him to curse Israel and nothing else. God asked Balaam to do something exactly how it should have been done for a purpose. Israel was blessed three times that day and Balaak and his army were given doomsday prophecies about their future.

I myself over a period of about ten years have been kept in the belly of the whale. Praying and repenting, waiting on the Lord, rejoicing and singing and also watching TV ministries. Sometimes a word from God has come from a scripture on TV which I will look up in my bible and gain great insight by or a song playing on a ministry show will get me crying and praising God. EWTN and the Catholic Daily Mass on Vision TV has sustained me many times since I can't go to mass each week, and the sermons have done me good. I was watching an episode of "Touched By An Angel" and the song playing was Wayne Watson's "For Such A Time As This". Esther 4:14.  That song brought me back to Jesus by an amazing journey.

The other day someone said to me I don't believe those preachers on TV when they say they can heal over the airwaves, or they say you will get a blessing if you give a donation. I said now wait just a minute.  I myself have personally been healed after praying with TV pastors or their prayer partners and I myself have "planted seed when I had a need and watched it multiply" through TV Ministries. It is the Holy Spirit working with Jesus and the Father who heals, delivers and blesses here on earth. We are just the vessels they use. Jesus said "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven." I am living proof of this fact. I beleive and I receive.

God is the same yesterday, today and forever. God has used an ass in the past to speak through and I believe He still uses asses today as well. After all He is using me. Thank you Lord.