Advent Challenge Day 16
A Star Will Come
Read Together
Numbers 24:15-17a
Light three candles and say together
In you, Lord my God, I put my trust.
(from Psalm 25:1)
Reflection
The story of Balaam is a super interesting one in the Bible. There's an actual talking donkey in this story! Balaam is a non-Israelite prophet who is conscripted by the king of Moab to put a curse on the Israelites who are camped on the plains of Moab. This curse is meant to cause them to lose in a war against Moab. But Balaam claims that he will only say what God inspires him to say. He is met by an angel of God but only his donkey recognizes the angel, so the donkey refuses to continue on the journey. (This is where the talking donkey comes in). Balaam finally becomes aware of the angel, who commands Balaam not to curse Israel. Despite the pressure from the king, Balaam remains faithful to God and blesses the people of Israel.
Today, we read Balaam's fourth oracle in which we see a mighty prophecy pointing to a figure of a king (suggested by the word "sceptre".) The immediate reference is to King David, but the theme goes beyond him and we can follow that celestial reference right to the very star that the Magi followed to find Jesus.
To open this oracle, Balaam refers to himself as someone "whose eye sees clearly" and "who hears the words of God". There's confidence in seeing the future and knowing how things will turn out. This knowledge no doubt facilitates easier access to hope, peace, and joy. But we are not all Balaams. And we do not spend our days proclaiming oracles or finding talking pets who make us pay attention to what God wants to say to us. Meanwhile, if there even are prophets in this world, there is a whole cacophony of noise that makes it hard to distinguish voices of truth. (And, again, no talking donkeys to make it clear.) The future is not certain.
But even in the darkest nights, "a star".
As we sit here waiting for Christmas, we likely know what December 25th will bring. It will likely follow the same patterns and rhythms of our Christmasses past, with different presents and perhaps different configurations of people. We will celebrate that Jesus was born, we will eat our traditional festive foods, and we will experience traditions set in place years before. But our Advent is not just about celebrating an event that happened in the past. It is also about looking forward to the future, trusting that as God has fulfilled His promises in the past, He will also be faithful with our futures, and Jesus Christ will come again. It isn't only about remembering a story we know like the back of our hand. It is about looking forward to a future that is virtually unknown.
And still, we're asked to seek out Hope, Peace, and Joy. We're asked to see (and be) the light in the darkness — to light the candles and follow the star.
We may not have a vision of the King of Kings coming once again in victory to assure our future like Balaam's oracle. But we do have ways for our eyes to be opened, for our ears to hear the words of God and for us to gain knowledge of the Most High. Each day as we read Scripture, we are being reminded of promises made to others and to us that God will keep fulfilling. The more time we spend in Scripture and in a faithful community, the deeper our understanding will be of the God who keeps His promises. It will help us focus on the light of the star rising through the darkness, the King coming in victory.
Talk About
- Is there anything in your future that you feel like you can't trust God with? Is there something that you would really like to know the outcome of now?
- Which promises of God can help you trust Him, even when the future is uncertain?
Pray Together
God, I keep trusting in you. Be there for me. Direct me, God, throughout my journey so I can experience your plans for my life. Reveal the life-paths that are pleasing to you. For you are the God of my salvation. I have wrapped my heart into yours all day long.
Amen.
Put it in Action
Find a Bible verse that brings you comfort when you think about your future. You can Google "Bible verses for..." to find some that apply to your situation. Then, make a habit of adding that verse to your prayers, telling God that you are waiting for Him to fulfill that promise.