S) "22 Whether it was two days or a month or a year that the cloud lingered over the tabernacle, staying above it, the sons of Israel remained camped and did not set out; but when it was lifted, they did set out."
Numbers 9:22 (NASB)
O) The Israelites followed God out of Egypt while He appeared as a pillar of cloud (or smoke) by day, and a column of fire by night. In this chapter, we read that they continued to follow God through the wilderness in the same fashion, and wherever the LORD stopped, there they erected the tabernacle. In this passage (vv.15-23), Moses described in exhaustive detail, how they only moved according to the lead that God gave them. In the verse above, I took special note that they would even remain camped in one place for as long as a year, waiting for God to lead them before moving to the next place. Again, I think this shows a different perspective (the truth about it, to be sure), about the process the Israelites went through, on their way to the Promised Land. Not only were they not wandering as if they were aimless with no goal, they also were not wandering in the sense that they were actually following explicit directions. They were not lost, they were not directionless, they were not confused about how to get to the Promised Land. From the outside looking in, it might appear that they wasted forty years in the desert. From the inside looking out, we learn a much different perspective, that God was accomplishing His will for His people in His time.
A) God's ways are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts. I know those facts scripturally, from Isaiah 55. But, His time is also not our time. He may require me to move quickly, never settling on a particular thing for more than one day at a time. Other times, God might want me to camp on something for longer, a month or two, or even a year. What I read clearly, throughout the Bible, is that God's timing is perfect, and our vision about things is limited. Whenever His people have rushed into things, or delayed, they have messed things up for themselves. This means that one of the most important things I can do, is to pray and ask God to move me according to His timing about things. After all, if I am not seeking His direction, if I am not paying close attention to His "cloud" in my heart, then I cannot rightly expect to be following His lead about when to proceed and when to stay.
P) Father, You are perfect in Your knowledge and will. You do not misunderstand and You cannot be deceived. You never misjudge time, and You're never early or late. I am not a good judge of time, at all. I confess that I am lazy and I procrastinate, trusting too often on my willpower and personality to get me out of the trouble that my sinful heart causes. I want to be more obedient with my time, Father God. I want more discipline when it comes to time management. I cannot create time or timing. I am only a steward of what You have given me. Lately, with my most recent job change, You have given me a trove of time each day. God, I want to honor You with that time. I want to obediently follow Your lead with it. Impress upon my heart, how to best glorify You with my time. Help me to be immediately obedient when You're calling me to action. Help me to be contentedly patient when You're calling me to stay. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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