Talking Ass
Ever read the story of Balaam's donkey in Numbers 22? It's a great story, the Lord uses Balaam's ass to speak directly to Balaam. That's right, God speaks to a man though his donkey.
On a side note, I love the time Chrisy and I took our four kids to The San Diego Wild Animal Park. On the tour, the guide pointed out the donkeys on the left side of the tram and said, "Those are wild asses. And, yes, it is totally appropriate to call them wild asses." Of course, Wes was cracking up and said, "I'm going to go to school and tell the class that my favorite animal I saw was a wild ass." Chrisy and I were like, "It's not that appropriate." But, I digress.
After God speaks through the donkey, he uses an angel of the Lord, and the angel tells Balaam that, in fact, God is going to speak through Balaam. Balaam goes on to deliver an oracle to Balak. The point, God can use anything or anyone to communicate a message to us.
Just yesterday I was having a conversation with a friend wherein I was, once again, arguing my point that God can be found in an R-rated movie or a secular song. I brought up some points and I my friend said, "So, now you're the talking ass." I took that in the best way, meaning, maybe God was speaking to her through me.
Today God really, I mean really, used a U2 song to speak to me. Thus, I guess Bono was my talking ass.
I so wish that I could communicate just how holy and sacred my in-car experience was, but no words could tell you what God did to my heart through the U2 song, "Walk On" this morning. In short, I would have to say that God shouted at me: "Doah, love isn't always easy, but I love you so well through Jesus, that truly, none of your days since that day you became mine are bad days, son. You need to let go of all the stuff you're worried about and just love well. YOUR love is NOT dependent upon how others are acting either. Go and love well."
After that, like Balaam, I went and took God's message and gave it to others. Yep, other people, my wife, my kids, my co-workers, and even randomly called a friend. My message, "I love you." Then I got to thinking my church and my small group, has me asking, "How can I be more like Jesus today?" At least for today, the answer came: Just love well. Here's the song that taught me that.
WALK ON
Music: U2
Lyrics: Bono
And love
Is not the easy thing
The only baggage
That you can bring
Love, not the easy thing
The only baggage you can bring
Is all that you can't leave behind
And if the darkness is to keep us apart
And if the daylight feels like it's a long way off
And if your glass heart should crack
And for a second you turn back
Oh no, be strong
Walk on, walk on
What you got, they can't steal it
No they can't even feel it
Walk on, walk on
Stay safe tonight
You're packing a suitcase for a place
None of us has been
A place that has to be believed
To be seen
You could have flown away
A singing bird
In an open cage
Who will only fly
Only fly for freedom
Walk on, walk on
What you got
You can't deny it
Can't sell it or buy it
Walk on, walk on
You stay safe tonight
And I know it aches
How your heart it breaks
You can only take so much
Walk on
Walk on
Home, hard to know what it is
If you never had one
Home, I can't say where it is
But I know I'm going
Home that's where the hurt is
And I know it aches
And your heart it breaks
You can only take so much
Walk on
Leave it behind
You've got to leave it behind
All that you fashion
All that you make
All that you build
All that you break
All that you measure
All that you feel
All this you can leave behind
All that you reason
It's only time
And all that I feel now on my mind
All that you sense
All that you scheme
All you dress up
And all that you see
All you create
All that you wreck
All that you hate
Anyway, if you want to watch a really amazing performance this song, you should check out this clip from the "America: A Tribute to Heroes" that aired just after 9/11. I have this DVD and I've cranked this up at home so many times. I adore how he starts with blending another song of theirs, "Peace on Earth" and I especially love how they add the worship at the end of the song, screaming, "Halle-Halle-lujah." Alleluia! Praise God! Go here: Walk On.
On a side note, I love the time Chrisy and I took our four kids to The San Diego Wild Animal Park. On the tour, the guide pointed out the donkeys on the left side of the tram and said, "Those are wild asses. And, yes, it is totally appropriate to call them wild asses." Of course, Wes was cracking up and said, "I'm going to go to school and tell the class that my favorite animal I saw was a wild ass." Chrisy and I were like, "It's not that appropriate." But, I digress.
After God speaks through the donkey, he uses an angel of the Lord, and the angel tells Balaam that, in fact, God is going to speak through Balaam. Balaam goes on to deliver an oracle to Balak. The point, God can use anything or anyone to communicate a message to us.
Just yesterday I was having a conversation with a friend wherein I was, once again, arguing my point that God can be found in an R-rated movie or a secular song. I brought up some points and I my friend said, "So, now you're the talking ass." I took that in the best way, meaning, maybe God was speaking to her through me.
Today God really, I mean really, used a U2 song to speak to me. Thus, I guess Bono was my talking ass.
I so wish that I could communicate just how holy and sacred my in-car experience was, but no words could tell you what God did to my heart through the U2 song, "Walk On" this morning. In short, I would have to say that God shouted at me: "Doah, love isn't always easy, but I love you so well through Jesus, that truly, none of your days since that day you became mine are bad days, son. You need to let go of all the stuff you're worried about and just love well. YOUR love is NOT dependent upon how others are acting either. Go and love well."
After that, like Balaam, I went and took God's message and gave it to others. Yep, other people, my wife, my kids, my co-workers, and even randomly called a friend. My message, "I love you." Then I got to thinking my church and my small group, has me asking, "How can I be more like Jesus today?" At least for today, the answer came: Just love well. Here's the song that taught me that.
WALK ON
Music: U2
Lyrics: Bono
And love
Is not the easy thing
The only baggage
That you can bring
Love, not the easy thing
The only baggage you can bring
Is all that you can't leave behind
And if the darkness is to keep us apart
And if the daylight feels like it's a long way off
And if your glass heart should crack
And for a second you turn back
Oh no, be strong
Walk on, walk on
What you got, they can't steal it
No they can't even feel it
Walk on, walk on
Stay safe tonight
You're packing a suitcase for a place
None of us has been
A place that has to be believed
To be seen
You could have flown away
A singing bird
In an open cage
Who will only fly
Only fly for freedom
Walk on, walk on
What you got
You can't deny it
Can't sell it or buy it
Walk on, walk on
You stay safe tonight
And I know it aches
How your heart it breaks
You can only take so much
Walk on
Walk on
Home, hard to know what it is
If you never had one
Home, I can't say where it is
But I know I'm going
Home that's where the hurt is
And I know it aches
And your heart it breaks
You can only take so much
Walk on
Leave it behind
You've got to leave it behind
All that you fashion
All that you make
All that you build
All that you break
All that you measure
All that you feel
All this you can leave behind
All that you reason
It's only time
And all that I feel now on my mind
All that you sense
All that you scheme
All you dress up
And all that you see
All you create
All that you wreck
All that you hate
Anyway, if you want to watch a really amazing performance this song, you should check out this clip from the "America: A Tribute to Heroes" that aired just after 9/11. I have this DVD and I've cranked this up at home so many times. I adore how he starts with blending another song of theirs, "Peace on Earth" and I especially love how they add the worship at the end of the song, screaming, "Halle-Halle-lujah." Alleluia! Praise God! Go here: Walk On.
posted by Doah at 6:18 AM
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