God's Way Always Best

 Psalm 5                Numbers 21-22                 James 3

Sometimes when we pray all we can do is groan because we don’t even know what words to use to express what we are feeling. It is often because those that oppose us are spreading false and misleading stories about us.

Here the song writer outlines that our prayer will be ordered to how we are feeling and trusting that God will hear the words and the feelings and we can eagerly watch for what God will do in answer to our prayers.

There is a recognition that God hates those who practice immoral or grossly unfair behavior. A prayer that their actions will be returned to them and they will suffer the consequences of their words and actions. A cry to make sure we can see the straight path laid out before us we should follow.

When we find our place of safety in trusting God we can sing for joy. We find our shelter in that place where we can exult God for God blesses the one that pursues the way of God and will surround us with a shield of faith.

As the nation of Israel begins their wondering in the wilderness, they truly find themselves wondering from place to place with no goal in mind. God begins to demonstrate their power not only to their enemies but to themselves. There enemies begin to fear them As they travel and become feared there are those that will want God to curse them and the approach Balaam and offer him wealth if he will curse the people of God. While he says he will only do what God allows there is an interesting back and forth between Balaam and God. God says I don’t want you to curse them but he returns and asks two more time. God places an angle in his way and he still pushes ahead. There in an exchange with the donkey he is riding on and then the angle in his path. There is danger ahead when we push for our own way rather than God’s.

In James 3 he warns that only a few should be teachers because they incur a stricter judgement. Teaching takes speaking and our inability to tame the tongue makes it dangerous. If you are able to control your tongue, the words you speak, then you should be able to control your body. After all, words are easy to speak without the action to back them up, then they become worthless. The tongue is a small part of the body but had the ability to create great harm to others. The example is that a small flame can quickly grow into a great fire and the harm and damage done by our words can happen just as quickly.

Maybe the more important thing he touches on here is that the same mouth should not practice blessings and curses. Like so many other things in life a little infects the whole. Jealousy and a selfish ambition create disorder and so many evil things.

When we look to the wisdom from above it will be pure, peaceful, gentle and reasonable. There are many good things that result form these practices. When we practice the ways of God in peace we make peace with others.