Moving with the Cloud

"And whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel camped."                     Numbers 9:17

Can you imagine the life they (the people of Israel) led while they were with Moses in the wilderness?!  The deal is...during the day a cloud rest on the tabernacle and at night a fire in the sky rests on the tabernacle.  The cloud/fire were the visible representation of God's presence there.  So periodically when it was time to do some more hiking, the cloud would rise up high into the air and that meant it was time to go.  The people would begin to scramble.  Who knows how long they've been in that one place... 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, maybe a few years.  This whole time they've been waiting for the cloud to move but also making a life for themselves.  All the sudden it lifts!  Tents are going down, goats are being herded together. Stuff is being loaded onto carts and oxen are being yoked to the cart.  We are talking 2 to 3 million people doing this at the same time in a hurry.  How long before the cloud begins to move from the time it lifts up in the air.. a couple hours or even a couple of days. 

What about for us?  Can we follow God like this?  How long would it take you to move if you found out tomorrow the cloud was moving and you had to follow it; didn't know where it was going?  I look at our situation.  We have planned for months to be going in June to Uganda, Africa and we're still not ready.  We have set the schedule, not the cloud.  I'm not saying were wrong, but are we even looking to God to lead. Are we really content to let the cloud lead our lives? 

Jesus tells the disciples as he is sending 70 of them out 2 by 2, "carry no money, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.  Whatever house you enter say "peace be unto you" and if remains then stay at that house.  Whenever a town does not receive you, go into the streets and say "even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you."  Lk. 10:3-11

Jesus is telling these guys to follow the cloud.  You live in dependence on God according to his timetable and his direction.  You don't accumulate because then you can't be mobile and obedient!  These folks understood what Jesus was telling them...walk with me as the people and Moses walked with God, ready to obey at a moments' notice.  This is hard for me, to not only obey God's direction but also to follow his timing.  Let us live in such away to not hold any hindrances to obeying the father.