Burning Question:
When did your relationship with Jesus start?
Morning Devotional:
My Bible reading as of late has taken me through the adventures of the Israelite people as they wandered through the wilderness on their way to the promised land. It was a journey that should have only taken them a matter of days but lasted for forty years. Talk about some serious wandering! I would be seriously frustrated by the timetable if I were in their shoes and taking the scenic route.
One of the fascinating things about the Israelites’ wilderness wanderings is how the Lord guided his people. The Word tells us He appeared to them in the form of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. In these very obvious forms, the Lord would direct his people’s steps, indicating to them when to pitch their tents and when to pull up the tent stakes and go.
If I were in the Israelites’ shoes, I would be seriously frustrated by the unpredictability of this system. Never knowing the itinerary would drive me absolutely bonkers. However, while reading Numbers chapter nine last night, I had a thought cross my mind I wasn’t expecting.
As I follow the Lord, am I missing any direction from God to rest?
Numbers 9:18 says, “At the Lord’s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp.” The chapter goes on to explain that if the cloud stayed over the tabernacle two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in the camp and not set out. When the cloud stayed stationary, God’s people were to stop what they were doing and rest.
I have always been under pressure to perform, to achieve and to do things with excellence. Sometimes I feel guilty when I rest, or do nothing at all. What I fail to see is that the Lord gives us those times to park, to rest, and to recharge. We should take those opportunities when they come and cherish them, knowing they are there for my ultimate good.
– Beth
Bible Quiz:
Question: Israel crossed the Red Sea on dry ground. What other body of water did they cross in the same way?
Answer: The Jordan River (Joshua 3)
Storytime: Gibberish!