Too Many Umbrellas
It was going to be an outdoor event and the early morning skies were threatening. I asked the Lord to keep the rain back. It was quite a specific prayer and I meant it too. Furthermore, I sensed I prayed through! And then I turned the key in the ignition, drove to the nearest super value store and picked up a collapsible black umbrella. The Lord answered my prayer. As for my latest umbrella, well it brought my home collection up to four.
Have you ever looked to the Lord expectantly but had your own little contingency plan up your sleeve just in case the Lord didn’t come through on your request?
Moses may have had an umbrella or two in his life too – so to speak. Moses had proven multiple times the greatness of his God. He had seen incredible displays of His awesome power. They had been in the
Check out this little exchange between Moses and his brother-in-law Hobab and see what you think.
Moses said to Hobab …
“We are setting out for the place of which the LORD said,
‘I will give it to you.’
Come with us, and we will do good to you, for the LORD has promised good to
Hobab to Moses:
“I will not go. I will depart to my own land and to my kindred.”
Moses to Hobab:
“Please do not leave us,
for you know where we should camp in the wilderness,
and you will serve as eyes for us…”
(Numbers 10:29-32 ESV)
“You could be our GPS. You know the wilderness like the back of your hand. It would take a huge load off our shoulders if you could be our guide. This is new land for us. It’s all foreign to our entire group that tops one million. I would feel a lot more comfortable if I had you pointing out the directions and whispering in my ear – ‘Watch out for this or that. Don’t go this route; take a sharp turn here or there to avoid this or that.’ Then I could relax a bit.”
Aren’t you tempted to ask Moses: “Just a second – aren’t you going to let God guide you through the wilderness? What about the guiding cloud by day and the fire by night. When the cloud stops, you stop and when it moves you move with it? And if night travel is required, you’ll know because it will be lit-up and the fire will either move or not move. How much clearer guidance from the Lord could you get? Do you think God doesn’t have 20/20 vision but Hobab does?”
Moses was one of God’s most outstanding leaders in history and there’s no question about it – he made it to God’s Hall of Faith Famers in Hebrews 11. But he was only human. He had great faith, even if it wavered at times.
What’s your Hobab as you look to the Lord with your requests? Or how many umbrellas do you have?
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him; for He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6
Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today.
Warmly in Christ
Peter Ramsay