The following is an excerpt from the free Advent devotional Darkness and Light - download and use it during this Advent season.
Blessing and Cursing
by Scott Matson
December 5, 2018
Since Balak son of Zippor was Moab’s king at that time, he sent messengers to Balaam…Balak said to him: “Look, a people has come out of Egypt…please come and put a curse on these people for me because they are more powerful than I am. I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that those you bless are blessed and those you curse are cursed.”(Numbers 22:4b-6a)
Blessing and cursing: the words of divine promise given generations ago. Words which had proven true time and time again. But what’s this? One who would usurp the promise sought their harm. The king of that land threatened to curse God’s people. Hadn’t they seen enough trouble? They wandered through the desert, a people alone. No allies, no friends. Night and day, hot and cold, light and darkness all around them.
But they were sustained by the provision of the One who told their great forefather to leave his home and go.
They had left their home as well. That same One had told Moses to lead them out of Egypt. Now they were wanderers with nothing but the promise of divine protection and provision. But somehow that was enough. It had to be enough.
“We should ask God to increase our hope when it is small, awaken it when it is dormant, confirm it when it is wavering, strengthen it when it is weak, and raise it up when it is overthrown.”
- John Calvin
Reflection: Listen to the song “God of My Everything” by Bebo Norman and reflect upon God’s faithfulness to sustain you in difficult times.