The Guidance of God

The Guidance of God
Numbers 9.15-23
15 On the day the tabernacle, the Tent of the Testimony, was set up, the cloud covered it. From evening till morning the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire. 16 That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire. 17 Whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped. 18 At the LORD's command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. 19 When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the LORD's order and did not set out. 20 Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the LORD's command they would encamp, and then at his command they would set out. 21 Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. 22 Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out. 23 At the LORD's command they encamped, and at the LORD's command they set out. They obeyed the LORD's order, in accordance with his command through Moses.

One of the most intimate portrayals of God's love is demonstrated here in Numbers 9. Here we see God guiding the Israelites through the desert by the cloud of fire. God designed the cloud so that "whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites set out," and "whenever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped." Talk about a GPS! In this text is a direct presentation of God's clear and intimate guidance of His people.

There are some who believe God's will to be too mysterious to recognize, and they live their life based on luck and superstition. We know that as Christians, however, God guides us just like He did the Israelites. We must be alert, however, if we are to see God's will for our lives. Notice the repetitiveness in these verses--I believe the writer here is trying to emphasize something significant--the Israelites obeyed God. They listened and watched for the pillar of fire to guide them through the desert. It was 'at the LORD's command they encamped, and at the LORD's command they set out." The Israelites "obeyed the LORD's order, in accordance with His command through Moses."

As Christians, you and I have a duty to listen and look out for God's will for our lives. In everything we do we should ask whether our actions are pleasing to the Lord and if they are in accordance to His will. Of course, this leads to an powerful conclusion--we must pray. If we are to allow God to direct us into His will, we must be totally submissive to His will and intimate with Him. How does a husband expect to know his wife's needs if he doesn't know her intimately? Or how does a student learn from a mentor if he does not develop a personal bond with him? Our relationship strengthen our guidance, for they inform us to the expectations of our guiders. God is our guider and our provider. With Him we see the pillars of fire He places all throughout our lives. They may be apparently strange coincidences, deep convictions of the Holy Spirit, or the subtle whisper of Christ's voice through the Holy Spirit. Whatever the method, God will get through to us directly and clearly when we focus our attention on Him.

I pray that we will be a people of God who look and listen for God's direction in our lives. If you are not being that person, ask God to help you. Oh, what wonderful things could be done if we only listened to God's will in every way! Amen.

With love in Christ,



Austin Aldrich