March 4, 2026 -Should I Stay or Should I Go
- brooks16055
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Numbers 9:17-23 NIV
[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.
What a great physical representation of what it looks like to trust God. It can be difficult when you believe that God has told you that He is going to do something in, with or through your life but He only gives you the first step to take. So you take that step with your own ideas and expectations of what will happen next or what success will look like or how fast things should go. It takes the Israelites over 40 years to make it into the promised land and the path to get there was about as convoluted and complicated as it could be. When it was time to make camp they weren't told how long they would be there they were just told stop here. When it was time to go, they weren't told how long they would be traveling they just went. That's what it looks like with our lives and ministries. I can think of a couple of examples in my life. One was something I have never wanted to do. I was sure that He said that I was going to become an elder in the church. So, I submitted my name as being willing to be an elder. I was told that they had already found the candidates for that year and that my name would be brought up for the next year. Which came and went and nothing was said. It was like when the cloud settled on the tent and the Israelites just had to wait until God said to move again. I had a 3-year wait. At the time it didn't make any sense to me but now in hindsight I can see the work that He was doing in my life and in the life of the church and I trust that when the cloud lifted and it was time to go it was the perfect time. Another example is when I look at being a youth group leader. I know that God has placed me in youth ministry but after I took over, numbers got worse instead of better. Success is often measured in our human minds by numbers. It was difficult to continue week after week with number dwindling and hitting walls when trying to reach out to make other connections with kids. But the right thing to do was to wait. To keep doing what God had me doing until it is time to do something else. Again, over the years I can look back and see that when I had only 1 or 2 students for multiple weeks in a row God used it for good. Deeper relationships with those students, growth in their spiritual lives and help for them as they needed it. Then as He began a slow growth process it is going in a totally different direction than we would have done it. But now the cloud is lifting, and it is time to start moving again and I can't wait to see where He is going to take me next. I am grateful for this reminder to trust Him and wait when it's time to wait and go when it's time to go and to let go of my own ideas of how, where and when things are supposed to go.
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