Numbers 9:22 reads: “Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey.”
Beyond a doubt, one of the frustrating parts of our Christian walk is knowing when and where God is leading us. But the children of Israel had no such problem as they traveled through the wilderness. The cloud was a visible sign and symbol of God’s presence with His people. It might linger a couple days or rest much longer, but in a very real sense, they were confident of God’s leading, and they only moved when He did.
Just as the Israelites learned how to follow God, so must we. In my own life, He must deal plainly with me. The Lord has taught me to trust His lead, yet I often do not know if the desire to pursue a task or opportunity is of God. What am I to do? Look for His cloud, His glory. In Exodus 40:34, we read about the connection between the cloud and God’s glory. “Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.”
Two simple questions can help keep us from following our own inclinations. First, “Does what I am considering glorify Jesus?” We must reject whatever the thought or desire is if the answer is no or even questionable. Next, we should ask, “How will He be glorified in what I am pursuing?”
When our goal is to bring God honor, nothing else really matters. May your ambition be to always follow His lead, and in the process glorify Him.
