Scenario #1
“Just a second. What’s going on here? What are you building? Why are you digging so deep? Tents don’t require a foundation like that!”
“We’re going to build a bungalow with a full-size basement. We figure we might as well build here. It has a good view, and it doesn’t look like we’re going anywhere anytime soon. We’ve been here for a good four months now. We found a great floor-plan. I’ve always wanted a good workshop area, and my wife always wanted an island in her kitchen and the open concept for our living area.”
“But what if our camp moves on next month – all your hard work and money will be wasted. You can’t take it with you.”
Scenario #2
“Excuse me. Why are you in your tent doing nothing? Don’t you know there is work to do today?”
“I beg your pardon? Doing nothing? I’m not exactly doing nothing! I’m in here perplexed about my future. I really can’t settle to do anything until God’s will for my future comes into focus. I look ahead, as far down life’s road as I can look, and I am wondering where God will lead us next and what eventually He may want me to do.”
“Please be informed your responsibility is to do what needs to be done today and do it well and leave tomorrow with the Lord. He has His ways of moving us forward or standing us still.”
And so it was for the children of Israel in the wilderness for so many years. They didn’t know from one day to the next when the day-cloud or the night-fire hovering over the tabernacle would start moving them to a new location. And, once they were moving, how long would they keep moving? And, when they stopped – how long would they be staying?
Whether it was two days or a month or a year that the cloud lingered over the tabernacle, staying above it, the sons of Israel remained camped and did not set out; but when it was lifted, they did set out. Numbers 9:22
Everything they planned and did was always in light of the possibility of moving or stopping on short notice. They would come out of their tents in the morning and see the cloud stationary over the tabernacle. They would know that God expected them to do their regular chores that day. What would happen tomorrow, or even that night, depended on very definite direction from the Lord.
We often spend too much time praying to the Lord about where-to-from-here but spend far too little time praying about doing what He wants us to do right now while He has us here – yes, in this location or occupation or situation – or, in these circumstances. He has His ways of making our future clear to us. So don’t rush Him or try to accelerate His time schedule.
Paul wrote, “We walk by faith and not by sight.” 2Corinthians 5:7. As someone once wisely said: “Darkness about going is light about staying.”
One thing for sure is – we are where we are today, and there’s nothing more important for me this day than to be faithful to Him and do, all day, what is well-pleasing in His sight. So instead of asking God: “What next?” we should be asking Him: “What now?”
Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today.
Warmly in Christ,
Peter Ramsay
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