Are You Following The Cloud Or The Crowd?

"Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, after that the children of Israel would journey; and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel would pitch their tents. At the command of the Lord the children of Israel would journey, and at the command of the Lord they would camp; as long as the cloud stayed above the tabernacle they remained encamped. Even when the cloud continued long, many days above the tabernacle, the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and did not journey. So it was, when the cloud was above the tabernacle a few days: according to the command of the Lord they would remain encamped, and according to the command of the Lord they would journey. So it was, when the cloud remained only from evening until morning: when the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they would journey; whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud was taken up, they would journey. Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey. At the command of the Lord they remained encamped, and at the command of the Lord they journeyed" - Numbers 9:17-23

OK - so you get the idea. The eyes of the people were on the Cloud. They were not doing their own thing. When God say go - they went. When God said stay - they stayed. That is pretty much how Martie and I have been living our lives for the past 21 years. There is not a cloud around our house - but there is an awareness of the presence of God. We are constantly on the watch for a sign from the Lord that it is time to stay or time to go. 

I recall when our missionary journey began - we were serving in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina. We would drive up to Montgomery to check on our house every other weekend or so. On one such weekend - Martie told me that we could no longer stay in Montgomery - our place was in Mississippi. That is where the cloud had settled, although we didn't think of it in those terms at the time. I could, but won't) share a number of other instances where the cloud has moved and we followed. The point is that it is always God who decides when and where to go and when and where to stay. We don't get to know for how long or choose the place. What we do get to decide is whether we will be obedient to God.

So back to Israel and the Crowd. Read Numbers and you will see how the people complained - because while God met their needs, He did not necessarily fulfill their wants. 

"So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night.  And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” So they said to one another, “Let us select a leader and return to Egypt." - Numbers 14:1-4

When the Cloud was crossing the Jordan River - the people - the Crowd - pushed back - and said NO to God. 10 of the spies said it was too dangerous and they should not cross - stay - in other words. Only 2 spies - Joshua and Caleb - said they should go. The consequence - they wandered in the desert for 40 years until that disobedient generation had passed away. The only ones left were Joshua and Caleb and they eventually led Israel into the promised land.

By the way - the crowd will often try to convince you that you should listen to the crowd and not to God. Maybe along with a subtle threat of rejection if you don't go along with them. It is a point of making a choice - follow the Cloud or follow the crowd. Listen for the voice of God and do what He says.

What has God been saying to you? It is OK to stay if that is God's plan and place for you. 

Think about it – Believe it  - Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone