This chapter has two topics – the keeping of the Passover celebration, and the cloud (presence of God) over the tabernacle, though we’ll only look at the latter.
“On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony. And at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning. So it was always: the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night. And whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel camped. At the command of the Lord the people of Israel set out, and at the command of the Lord they camped. As long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp.” (v15-18)
I really like this picture – the presence of God in the heart of the nation, guiding the Israelites along their journey. Sometimes they camped in one spot for a month or more, and other times only overnight, but either way they obeyed God’s leading.
How often do I get impatient and “break camp” before God commands me to, or conversely, make camp where I’m not supposed to? I can think of a few times where I charged ahead (or retreated…), not waiting for confirmation from God.
That begs the question “how do I know God’s timing and recognize His leading/will in my life?” The Israelites had a visual cue that was easy to interpret and Moses who heard God speak, but we’re don’t have it that easy sometimes.
I can’t go into great detail on this topic, since it’s far deeper than a 10-minute devotional, but here are some initial summarized thoughts on steps we can take to better know and follow God’s will:
– Walk with God. If we don’t know Him (not just know about Him) it’s harder to hear Him. Spend regular, scheduled time in scripture and prayer (not just cramming it in when we have 10 minutes of unallocated time).
– Humble ourselves. If we don’t die to our own selfish wills/agendas, we can’t accept God’s will in its place.
– Obey God’s commands. Scripture is full of guidelines (eg. the two greatest commandments) that we can follow, knowing they are part of His will.
– Seek input from godly people. Find at least 1 (more is better) trusted individual from whom you can seek guidance.
– Be who God created you to be. God has given you a unique set of gifts and a unique circle of influence, so only you can be who God made you to be.
– Listen to what God places on your heart. This ties into the previous point. God will place desires in your heart that will give you joy when they are fulfilled. When discerning whether a desire is from God or not, compare it to scripture and pray about it. The desires God gives you will always be in alignment with God’s heart.
– Listen to God. This might sound obvious, but it’s easier said than done. Allow quiet time in prayer where you don’t say anything, just simply be open to hear God speak.
– Be attentive to your circumstances. God is proficient at opening and closing doors of opportunities, and He will direct your path. Don’t break down doors that God has obviously closed, and don’t be afraid to enter doors He opens.
My key learning from today is that I need to be intentional about listening for and following God’s will. We can accidentally stumble into following God’s will from time to time, but devoted followers can dwell there continually with some practice. It’s a learning process, but like any practiced skill, it gets easier with repetition and time.
Father God, our guide and shepherd, we praise Your holy name. Thank you for providing a light to our feet and path, and for promising to lead and guide us. Father please help us to draw near to You, as You are already near to us. Father please teach us Your ways and hide Your words in our hearts so that we may obey You more easily. Please help us to hear Your voice, and know when to make or break camp. We ask this in the name of Jesus, who reconciled us to You. Amen.
~ Conqueror in Training