The day The Dwelling was set up, the Cloud covered The Dwelling of the Tent of Testimony. From sunset until daybreak it was over The Dwelling. It looked like fire. It was like that all the time, the Cloud over The Dwelling and at night looking like fire. When the Cloud lifted above the Tent, the People of Israel marched out; and when the Cloud descended the people camped. The People of Israel marched at God’s command and they camped at his command. As long as the Cloud was over The Dwelling, they camped. Even when the Cloud hovered over The Dwelling for many days, they honored God’s command and wouldn’t march. They stayed in camp, obedient to God’s command, as long as the Cloud was over The Dwelling, but the moment God issued orders they marched. If the Cloud stayed only from sunset to daybreak and then lifted at daybreak, they marched. Night or day, it made no difference—when the Cloud lifted, they marched. It made no difference whether the Cloud hovered over The Dwelling for two days or a month or a year, as long as the Cloud was there, they were there. And when the Cloud went up, they got up and marched. They camped at God’s command and they marched at God’s command. They lived obediently by God’s orders as delivered by Moses.
“The People of Israel marched at God’s command”
How is it that at times I want to move when the cloud is staying still and at other times I want to stay still when the cloud is moving!
Sometimes I think it’s the selfish human-ness in me wanting to be in control and at other times I think it’s because I can forget there’s a cloud!!
phew was on hols last week with no internet connection so got to miss the previous thorny readings!
This one is less troubling, but for me maybe more challenging. The call to complete and utter commitment to be where God is, where God wants me to be whether that’s for a few hours and just as I’m getting comfortable the “cloud” moves, or whether it’s the long test of a frustratingly stationary cloud in one place for years.
It’s 6am. “Wherever you go today Lord….”
It seems that the cloud has remained stationary in one place for a long time now and quite frankly its very hard – I want to join in the group of people who are moving forward!! Its boring, frustrating and all that.
It reminds me very much of when Jesus said ” I only do what the Father is doing”.
Let me always see the cloud!
http://www.collthings.co.uk/2008/06/10-very-rare-clouds.html
Stunning cloud pictures Sitham…I could watch clouds like that for hours!
As for the passage isn\’t it wonderful that God wants us to have times of rest…when we just wait on Him. I look at my busy life and wonder \
sorry it has lost the last part of my message.
I wonder how can I reconnect with God’s cloud and then have the patience to follow it…including the times of just waiting on God.
I would also echo what Trish says….I would love to be part of a community of people who are moving on with God rather than being happy with the status quo. Maybe I am just too restless at times!
they lived obediently… wow! this is something that I think a lot of us struggle with- and yet i think the israelites had learnt from their mistakes. I worry sometimes that we forget what we have learnt – History just keeps on repeating itslef, because we don\’t remember…
a conversation I had with someone about a church where something had gone wrong, said that the leader of the church had said to him that \’we don\’t have a memory of that situation as we have moved on…..\’ scary thought if we don\’t learn and remember – not dwell, but simply remember, we might end up in the wilderness too!
I often forget to remember, and have been in the wilderness many times, but I know now that to move on, it is about obedience, and remembrance