Numbers and Direction

Lately, I have been reevaluating what God wants from me and where He wants me to be. It seems like I do this every 6 months or so - kind of check back and see if I am supposed to still be here in Brownwood. While my time here has been great, I am always nervous that I am going to grow complacent and miss another opportunity that the Lord has for me somewhere else.

At the same time, I have been trying to read through the Bible - all the way through the Bible. This has been a goal for a long time, and it seems like every year I start over in Genesis and about midway through Exodus I just give up again. Well, this year I have been more persistent than ever before - although it has taken me a long time, I am in the middle of Numbers right now. I know that's not very far - I still have a long way to go, but at least I'm still working at it! Maybe five years from now I'll reach Revelation, and maybe I'll need to be reading Revelation at that time in my life.

I have always wondered about Old Testament books like Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, etc. While I know that they are history books and are important enough to be in the Bible, so many times I have questioned their relevance to my personal life. There's a little background for you - back to Numbers.

The other night I was reading in chapter 9 about how the Israelites were being led by God with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. When the cloud moved, they did - whether it was in the middle of the day or the middle of the night. Sometimes they stayed put for a while, other times they were moving a lot. In verse 23 it says, "At the Lord's command they encamped, and at the Lord's command they set out. They obeyed the Lord's orders in accordance with his command through Moses."

I was really struck by how obedient they were. When God said go, they went. When he said stay, they stayed. How I wish that I was that obedient and in tune with the Lord's direciton for my life! I was reading the commentary on that verse in my Bible and was really struck by what it said. "When you follow God's guidance, you know you are where God wants you, whether you are moving or staying in one place. You are physically somewhere right now. Instead of praying, "God, what do you want me to do next?" ask, "God, what do you want me to do while I am here?" Direction from God is not just for your next big move. He has a purpose in placing you where you are right now."

Wow! That was exactly what I needed to hear. God is so amazing! He spoke to me through the book of Numbers - how awesome is that? The physical place I am at right now is Brownwood - so I need to be seeking what God wants me to do while I am here. God's plan is so much better than anything I could ever come up with. His timing is perfect and He is in control. I think I need to be reminded of all of these truths everyday. God is so good and He is so patient with me as I learn.