ESOCS Devotional 21 August 2025 – It is Not Worth It
MEMORY VERSE: “And Balaam said unto Balak … If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind …” Numbers 24:13.
TEXT: NUMBERS 24:10 – END
hen Balak’s anger was aroused against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have bountifully blessed them these three times! 11 Now therefore, flee to your place. I said I would greatly honor you, but in fact, the Lord has kept you back from honor.”
12 So Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not also speak to your messengers whom you sent to me, saying, 13 ‘If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord, to do good or bad of my own will. What the Lord says, that I must speak’? 14 And now, indeed, I am going to my people. Come, I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the latter days.”
15 So he took up his oracle and said:
“The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor,
And the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened;
16 The utterance of him who hears the words of God,
And has the knowledge of the Most High,
Who sees the vision of the Almighty,
Who falls down, with eyes wide open:
17 “I see Him, but not now;
I behold Him, but not near;
A Star shall come out of Jacob;
A Scepter shall rise out of Israel,
And batter the brow of Moab,
And destroy all the sons of tumult.
18 “And Edom shall be a possession;
Seir also, his enemies, shall be a possession,
While Israel does valiantly.
19 Out of Jacob One shall have dominion,
And destroy the remains of the city.”
20 Then he looked on Amalek, and he took up his oracle and said:
“Amalek was first among the nations,
But shall be last until he perishes.”
21 Then he looked on the Kenites, and he took up his oracle and said:
“Firm is your dwelling place,
And your nest is set in the rock;
22 Nevertheless Kain shall be burned.
How long until Asshur carries you away captive?”
23 Then he took up his oracle and said:
“Alas! Who shall live when God does this?
24 But ships shall come from the coasts of Cyprus,
And they shall afflict Asshur and afflict Eber,
And so shall Amalek, until he perishes.”
25 So Balaam rose and departed and returned to his place; Balak also went his way.
Read Other ESOCS Devotional Here
While we have license to direct our life to our taste and desire, it is often necessary we pause and confirm if what we want to do is really worth it. Yes! Some of the actions we take per time, the moves and steps we make, are they worth it? This consciousness no doubt will help one model his life while applying caution to what he does per time.
After a repeated failed attempts to make Balaam curse the people of Israel, Balak chided Balaam for choosing such dangerous part against him irrespective of the promise of great honour he had made to him; and he had to literally push him out: “Therefore now flee thou to the place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour” (Num. 24:11).
Certainly, if it is the Lord that prevented him from such wicked, unfruitful, malicious and selfish honour, then, it is not worth it. God so much loves us that He would not allow whatever that is not good enough for us to enter our hands and life – “For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly” (Ps. 84:11); “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jer. 29:11).
This understanding is key for anyone who must go far with God, as it will help curtail the compromise usually encountered in our generation. We have a situation where those with prophetic mantle have turned personal prophets to individuals (political leaders, business mogul, etc.) in order to get personal gain, not minding what God has to say about it. Now, gospel ministers compromise standards to accommodate all manner of things because of what has been promised them or what they have already collected.
Beloved, can we ask you the question: IS IT WORTH IT? The time you gave away your virginity, purity and morality for one financial gain or satisfaction of pleasure, was it worth it? The time you defrauded a relative, colleague, unsuspecting client or even organization, church inclusive for your personal interest, was it really worth it? The time you ganged up against those in leadership in a bid to pull them down so that you can ascend to their position, not minding the dust it will generate, was it worth it? What about when you volunteered and joined in slandering, speaking against others so that you can be in the good books of certain person, was it worth it?
It is important we note that any benefit and gain that is not given by God is not worth it at all irrespective of who made the promise. If it is not right before God, then it is not worth it.
CHALLENGES
- Develop a passionate heart for God beyond the materialism of the world.
- Build a high level of spiritual sensitivity to always confirm God’s leading.
PRAYER POINT
- Father, thank you for your thoughts of peace towards me; direct me in the right part always.
FURTHER READING: Zechariah 13:1-End; Judges 13:1-End; Romans 13:1-End; Luke 1:5-38
ESOCS Devotional 21 August 2025
