Numbers 9-12 I Really Wish That I Had a Cloud

Today was a bit of an overwhelming day for me…and I am pretty tired.

But as I sit here, I am amazed by the reality that God moves…that God works and doesn’t sleep.

As I sit here, I am so honored to be his daughter, and so humbled to be a part of his family.

I live with college students…lots and lots of college students…and I hear the same phrase dozens of times per day, “I just wish that I knew what God wanted me to do with my life.” I am convinced that this is normal for people who desire to live with the purpose of serving God.

All of us have been there…all of us have begged God to give us a clear picture of what he wants.

Tonight, I believe that the expression “Be careful what you wish for” may fit.

Numbers 9 tells us about the pillar of cloud that the Israelites got to follow. It was sort of like some cosmic game of follow-the-leader. The cloud would move, and the Israelites would follow it. The cloud would stop, and the Israelites would rest. It was so simple.

When I read this chapter, I found myself wishing that God would give me something like that…a big shiny cloud that would tell me exactly where to go, and what to do. It would be so easy!

Then I read the next chapters, and watched as the isrealites complained about God’s path. They told him over and over again that his plan was not good enough. That he was not taking good care of them…

The Israelites’ issue was not with their lack of knowledge of God’s plan, it a lack of contentment with his plan.

As much as I don’t like to admit it, I think that we may often struggle with the same problem. We, generally, know what we are supposed to do right now. We know what God is calling us to do right this second, but we fuss and complain about not knowing all of the details.

I feel that we, like the Israelites, need to start practicing the art of contentment with the path that has been laid out before us. If we praised God everyday for the things that he has given us today, then I think that we might discover trust.

We might just begin to understand that God is holding us…and that what he has given us is good…so good!

Sorry, if this didn’t flow too well tonight…I am pretty tired.