The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her.” Numbers 22:33

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 15, 2012): Numbers 22

 I have mentioned that I am currently reading the “Game of Thrones” series of novels. And one of the behind the story themes is that the animals somehow know something that everyone else has missed. In the story, it is the direwolves of the children that seem to possess the knowledge. And because they know, they are often in position when they are needed – or they are mourning before any of the other characters have any reason to mourn. The animals know or see long before people do.

It is not a radically new theme for literature. Stories ranging from the old Lassie T.V. show to movies like Eragon have displayed the same underlying theme. And it is not just a feature of our literature. We have real life stories of our pets sensing something wrong long before their owners recognize that there is a danger. Dogs have rescued their owners and horses have rushed for help. It is one of the weird truths of this world.

So with all of this evidence, I wonder why we are sometimes surprised by a story about a donkey who reacts to God before his master does. In a way, it makes sense. And maybe it is just the way that God has put this world together.

Balaam’s donkey sees the angel and stops. And God makes it clear that the action of the donkey was only to save its master – the donkey was never in any kind of danger. Later, Jesus would say that if the people were quiet, the stones themselves would cry out revealing the truth of God. All of creation will eventually bow down and worship him. We might be God’s crowning achievement, but often (maybe even usually) it seems that it is the animals that see him first. Maybe that is because they are simple, and it is our complexity that blinds us to the purposes of God.

If that is true, then today my prayer is for simplicity. Will you join me?

   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 23

Personal Note:  Today is my 31^st Wedding Anniversary. It is amazing that someone put up with me that long. It is also my Sister and her husband’s 25^th Anniversary (I think Cheri did that so that Laurie and I would only have to remember the one date.) Anyway, thank you nelda for sharing the years with me – and Happy Silver Anniversary to Cheri and Laurie. I love you all.