to set out or to camp...

I was reading Numbers chapter 9 a couple days ago and verses 16-23 really jumped out at me, so I wanted to share about it here. 

I do feel like adding a short disclaimer. I totally believe that the Word of God is alive and active and it totally speaks for itself. Sometimes we don’t give it time to speak to us or we just read without opening our minds to receive what it’s saying, but it is fully capable of speaking to each of us on its own. I cannot possibly add anything of value to what the Bible is saying, so that is not my goal when sharing about what jumped out at me. Instead, my goal is just to share my excitement and wonder with you, in case you haven’t read the particular section in a while or maybe you’ve never read it.

So, back to Numbers chapter 9. This is the Old Testament, during the time of leaving Egypt, wondering in the desert, Mount Sinai, and eventually getting to the Promised Land. God is leading the people in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. When the pillar lifted up, the people would set out to follow it. When the pillar settled down, the people of Israel camped.

In verse 18, there is such a direct and simple passage, but yet it speaks volumes to me today.

At the command of the Lord the people of Israel set out,

and at the command of the Lord they camped.

Can you really develop this thought? It is so simple – move when He says move, wait when He says wait.

Since the Lord knows the human condition so well, he gives us verse 19 to go one step further.

Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle many days,

the people of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and did not set out.

Sometimes I laugh at how well the Lord knows our thoughts. How natural is it to wait for a little while, but then grow weary of waiting? We think, “maybe I misunderstood when he said wait.” Or, “Lord, it really can’t be necessary to wait this long. I’ll just move a little bit ahead.” Or we don’t really try to justify it. We just let our controlling or impatient nature take over and forge ahead in our own plan.

As if he hadn’t given us enough clarity on waiting, verse 22 makes it even more clear.

Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the cloud 

continued over the tabernacle, abiding there, the people of Israel 

remained in camp and did not set out, but when it lifted they set out.

At the command of the Lord they camped, 

and at the command of the Lord they set out.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not so good at waiting. Being patient does not come naturally to me. I want to get stuff done and move on. This chapter directly speaks to me. I know the Lord doesn’t move around in a pillar in front of me, but he does communicate with me. I just have to take the time to listen and then choose to obey.

I do love it when his word is so clear and goes to extra lengths to make the point. It’s as if he read my mind and knew I’d have those, “but, what if…” questions and rebuttals. He just nipped that in the bud.  :)