God, Where Did You Go?

SCRIPTURE: Exo. 39:36-38 Now whenever the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out on their journey, following it. 37 But if the cloud did not rise, they remained where they were until it lifted. 38 The cloud of the Lord hovered over the Tabernacle during the day, and at night fire glowed inside the cloud so the whole family of Israel could see it. This continued throughout all their journeys.

OBSERVATION: Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Because of that, this verse suggests some very important advice; when the cloud of God's presence is not in this tabernacle of our bodies, then someone has moved. It may be that we have moved through sin or disobedience and we are no longer in that special intimacy that we ought to be in. If we have, we need to recognize it and repent and move back as quickly as we can.

It may be that God has moved and we haven't. Sometimes He is trying to move us on with Him and we, stubbornly, hang on to where we are. Change is hard for all of us. In those times we need to remember that we really don't want to try to do His stuff without His presence.

In either case, the key is to be very aware of His presence in our lives. There may be a time, because of trial or circumstances, when we are not able to sense Him nearby and it is not because of any failure of our own. Still, it is always the right thing to do to ask; "Lord, have you moved? Have I moved? Am I missing something?" We need to always be in that place of valuing His presence.

APPLICATION/OBSERVATION: I need to be more aware of when His presence has moved. I want to move with the cloud of His glory and anointing but, sometimes, I get so busy doing the stuff that I forget to be aware.

PRAYER: Lord, I don't want to minister without your presence fully in place in my life and ministry. Lord, please make it clear when I have moved away from it or when you have moved and I haven't. I want to follow you, please help me.