Numbers 8-10

February 13

Numbers 8-10

God met with Moses and the Israelites on Mt. Sinai and instructed them on the way they were to live as His children. He instructed them on the building of the tabernacle, the ritual they must follow in order for God to dwell among them, and how to live with each other in peace and unity. When the tabernacle was completed the Israelites knew God was with them because the cloud that had led them out of Egypt settled over the Tent of the Testimony. By day they could see the cloud, at night it looked like fire.

The Israelites knew when it was time to move when the cloud lifted from above the tent. When the cloud lifted, whether it was day or night, the Israelites packed up and followed. They could not get too settled in any place because they did not know if they would be there overnight or for a year. They had to constantly look to God; when He moved, they moved.

Moving is difficult. You pack up all you own and set out for a new location. The Israelites never knew when they would move again. Each morning they got up and looked toward the Tent to see if the cloud had lifted. Each evening before retiring for the night they would look to the Tent to see if the cloud had lifted up and they were to move out. Not only moving, but following God can be difficult.

There at times when we just don’t feel like going where God wants us to go. There are times when it is uncomfortable to go where God wants us to go. There are times when it is inconvenient to go where God wants us to go. Today we do not have a cloud we can look to to see if God wants us to move out or stay put. Sometimes we struggle with what God wants us to do. Do we change jobs? Do we move to a different house in a different neighborhood? Do we change schools?

We may not be wandering in the desert looking to see if God is moving us today, but we have decisions to make each day that we need the guidance of God. We do not want to get ahead of God or fall too far behind. We want to go where He wants us to go and do what He wants us to do. We struggle with knowing what God wants. Sometimes it would be nice to have a cloud to guide us. But we have the Holy Spirit living in us to guide us.

The cloud over the Tent in the center of the community was a visual reminder that God dwelt with the Israelites. We have the Holy Spirit living in us to guide us just as the Israelites had the cloud. God guides us just as He did the Israelites. We just have to listen to Him when He speaks and obey Him when He gives us directions. When He says go, we must be willing and ready to go. When He says stay, we must be willing and ready to stay.

Look to God and He will lead you.