Numbers 9:17  Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, after that the children of Israel would journey; and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel would pitch their tents.

    

    Have you ever noticed that, a lot of times, when someone asks for advice, they aren’t truly seeking information? Kids do this a lot, but adults do too. They seemingly ask for guidance, but guidance isn’t really what they’re after. What they really hope for is approval of what they’ve already decided. I suppose we’ve all done this at one time or another.

    After the Israelites followed Moses out of Egypt they had stopped. The stopped while Moses went up the mountain to meet with God. He came down with the Ten Commandments and the rest of the law. The people were organized under the law and they set up the tabernacle. Once everything was in place, God showed His presence with a pillar of cloud in the daytime and fire at night. 

    In today’s verse we read that when the cloud moved, they followed. That cloud was the visible sign of God’s presence. So you might say, when God moved, they followed. It seems obvious. Wouldn’t that be the natural thing to do? Well, sadly, they didn’t keep up with this great beginning.

    We are at the beginning of a New Year. We have all sorts of hopes and, maybe, dreams for the coming year. But have we fully committed to following God this year? Where He leads we go? When He moves we move? 

    See, too many people have this 180° out of phase. Their hope is that “wherever I go this year, I hope God follows!”     When you say it straight out like that, it doesn’t sound very good, does it? “But Russ, they had a cloud and they just followed what they saw! That was easy for them.”  True. We don’t have a cloud. But we have something so much better: The Bible! God’s Word! If we strike out this year without daily consulting God’s Word, then we really shouldn’t be surprised if we end up ‘lost.’ The Bible is not an emergency reference for when we’re in trouble. It is the very Word of God to lead us! Let this year be one where you follow God daily through His Word!

Blessings,     

Pastor Russ