It was one of the quick weekend trips we had while we were in Florida. Near the end of a two-hour drive, as we got closer our final destination, the angle we were facing was just right, away from the sun, and the clouds soared high above in front of us. It got me thinking back to the Israelites.
Now, see, I have what some may call an issue, even if it’s not uncommon. Every time I’ll get a new Bible or start a new reading plan (which, I will be the first to admit I’m not super about keeping up with) I tend to start wherever it does. Which, more often than not, is the beginning. So, consequently, I’ve read through Genesis and Exodus more than other Books in the last few years. Let me tell you, true gems that sometimes get overlooked.
One thing, among others, that struck me the last time reading through Exodus was how the Israelites’ guide was in the form of a cloud in the day, and a fire in the sky by night. Now, of course, I’ve heard this for years, but for some reason, it hit me differently this time. Their road map was literally a mass in the sky. Whenever the cloud/fire stopped, so did they. When it appeared again, it was time to hit the road.
I don’t know about you, but if I didn’t have a GPS, or, more accurately a GPS and a person repeating the directions back to me, I wouldn’t find my way around very well. While you could say I have the “pardon” of not consistently going to the same places for long periods of time, it still scares me just how much we rely on our handy-dandy internet (or satellite) devices.
Anyway, on that drive, looking up at the clouds, got me thinking. Faith is something that is so much harder to find now. The estimated 2,000,000+ of Israelites were trusting God to guide them to His promise. They didn’t know where they were going, they didn’t know the whole picture, the greater plan that God had in store for them. In fact, we see over and over again that things only went wrong when they acted in rebellion and doubt, going their own way. (Ehem, 40 years of wandering- in a desert.)
Back to the driving analogy. When I haven’t driven in a while (like a few months), I tend to drift in the lane more. The reason for this is I sometimes forget to look further ahead and start looking directly in front of the vehicle. Instead of looking where I should be, I get fixated on what’s right in front of me.
I think we often do this in life. We look and focus so much on only the small frame that we see. We only think about the here and now. And I don’t just mean today, I mean today, tomorrow, and the future of our lives. I don’t know about you, but I get so focused on earthly things. I worry about what I’m doing now, and what I will do in the years to come.
I forget to look to heaven and my Father. God doesn’t say, “Oh no! oh no! What’s going to happen?” He already has it all planned out. I’m just supposed to keep chasing Him and His will for my life with all that I am, walking in faith- following His direction- and obeying Him, serving others. Being a reflection of His love. Letting Him take care of the rest, because he has it figured out better than I ever could.
It can be so easy to view things only from our perspective. But it’s when you allow yourself to see more of the picture that you actually start to go places. We have this incredible gift of access to the most perfect all-understanding perspective. We don’t always understand what that may be, but we can trust because we know the One that holds it. So even though we don’t always know the whole frame, we can still follow the “clouds” of God’s leading.
But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.
1 Corinthians 12:3
Much love,
Joy Finn
(thanks for the photo, Gabi!)