12/20/2024

Read: Deuteronomy 23:5 - “Nevertheless the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam, but the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves you.”

Reflect: Balaam was a prophet of the Lord hired by a foreign ruler to curse the children of Israel. But when he inquired to the Lord what he should do, not only did God stop him from cursing Israel, He used Balaam to bless them instead! Because of the Lord’s great love for us, so many of our curses have been turned into blessings. The curse of a lost job turns into a greater opportunity and the Lord’s leading. The curse of a broken down car turns into a divinely appointed conversation with a mechanic who needed to hear the gospel. The curse of the Son of God being hanged on a tree was turned into the blessing of redemption! As Joseph experienced in Genesis 50, what man intends for evil, God can use for good. His love for us is so great that He will work all things together for those who love Him and are called by Him. When faced with what seems to be a curse, remember that God can use it for a blessing. We must trust His love and sovereignty over our lives.

Respond: Think back on your life: what are some curses God turned into blessings? Praise Him for these! If there are situations that seem like a curse today, tell God you trust His love. Ask Him to help you endure this season that you might see the blessing ahead.