Daily Devotional 8/20/22

Numbers 24:13

In a wealthy culture it’s easy for the rich to believe money is the ultimate resource. Not only can money buy things, but it can also be used to buy people—their favor, their loyalty, or their protection. Some people even believe money can be used to purchase the blessings of God.

A pagan king named Balak (Numbers 22–24) tried to purchase the prophetic ability of a pagan “prophet” (diviner) named Balaam. Balak wanted Balaam to speak a curse upon Israel as they approached the Promised Land. The curse was never spoken, but not for want of a misguided king’s efforts. Much later in Israel’s history, the prophet Micah reminded the people of the Balak-Balaam incident in order that they might be reminded of “the righteousness of the LORD” (Micah 6:5). In other words, God’s favor cannot be purchased, nor His wrath avoided, with money. In the New Testament, Ananias and his wife, Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11), and Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8:9-25) learned this truth the hard way.

Do you need something from God today? Follow the advice of James: “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16).

Mature faith does not live by answers to prayer, but by prayer.

R. E. O. WHITE