“At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents. And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not. And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.: Numbers 9:18-20

The first thing I do when I get up in the morning is open my blinds and check to see what the weather is like. Then I turn on my radio to listen to the weather forecast. I use this information to plan my day. What will I wear, and what activities can I plan for today? Before I go to bed at night, I often look out my window. Living in the city, there are not many stars visible, but it is always a pleasure to see the moon.

Imagine yourself in the camp of the Israelites as they journeyed from Egypt to the Promised Land. The camp was always set up in the same pattern, with the Tabernacle in the centre and each tribe in a designated position around it. No matter where their tent was pitched, when they looked out their door they could see the tabernacle. At night I am sure the last thing they did before they closed their tent door was to look toward the centre of camp and make sure the pillar of fire rested over the tabernacle.

Every morning, they would check again to see if the cloud were there. If it were, that meant they would be staying in the camp that day and so they would go about their daily chores. If the cloud were rising from the tabernacle, it was a sign that it was time to pack up their tents and get ready to move. They all knew the steps they had to take and how much time they had to be ready before it was time for their group to move.

Today, it is a privilege to have the Holy Spirit dwelling within our hearts. He is our guide, letting us know what He wants us to do each day. Each morning as we wake from sleep, we whisper a prayer, thanking the Lord for watching over us through the night and asking His direction for the day ahead. Before we lay our heads on the pillow each night, we take time to thank Him for His guidance and direction and His hand upon us through the day.

Although, we cannot always feel the presence of the Lord, by faith we know that He is always with us and will never leave us nor forsake us. We can trust Him to direct our steps, leading us each day. We receive guidance from His Word, nudging us to stay close to Him. Whether He says “move” or “rest,” we simply obey. He will never lead us in places that He will not go before us, showing us the way.

Prayer: Jesus we are so thankful for your Holy Spirit that abides within our hearts, a light on our pathway, guiding us and directing us according to your will.

Devotion by Anne Johnston

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