Who: Nathan Light
When: June 24, 2009
Where: Beech Fork State Park – Barboursville, WV
Month: June 2009 (Page 1 of 2)
It made no difference whether the Cloud hovered over The Dwelling for two days or a month or a year, as long as the Cloud was there, they were there. And when the Cloud went up, they got up and marched. They camped at God‘s command and they marched at God‘s command. They lived obediently by God‘s orders as delivered by Moses.
-Numbers 9:22-23 (MSG)
What a great thing it must have been for the Israelites to have God provide direction and guidance in the form of a cloud. If the cloud moved, they followed it. If it stopped and hovered, they stayed put.
If only it were that simple today.
I figure if there were a list of the top questions that Christians today ask God and wonder aloud, one of the most occurring has to be, “God, what do you want me to do with my life?” We desperately want to follow God’s plan for our future, but at the same time we are desperately confused. We are begging for a sign like the Israelites had to determine our next step.
I wonder if the problem might be that because we focus on the future so much, we miss the present entirely. We are so enamored with the NEXT that we completely overlook the NOW. Farsightedness versus nearsightedness, if you will.
If you notice with the Israelites, the verses note that the people stayed and marched at God’s command. They were ready and anxious to move onto the next place when God said so, but also were prepared to stop and direct their attention to that specific place when he said so. And it didn’t matter if it was a for a day, a month, or a year. If the cloud stayed, so did they. And right then and there is where their focus was until God said otherwise.
Sometimes we forget that we were put right here at this exact moment in time for a purpose. Sure, God may have an amazing, big move in the future for us. But if our “cloud” isn’t moving, neither should we, no matter how long it may stay in one place. Our focus should be on him and where he is staying or going, not the future direction we think is best.
You want to know your purpose? Ask God what he wants you to do right here, right now. Then, when he’s ready, you will be prepared to successfully take the next step too.
For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
-Romans 10:13 (NLT)
Here Paul, a leader of this revolutionary new religion called Christianity, is writing to the Roman people. One can assume that he was getting a lot of questions about what it took to become a follower of Christ and receive eternal life. Previous to this verse he talks about confessing with your mouth and believing with you heart, and he summarizes it all in verse 13 by quoting the prophet Joel: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
What a beautifully simple answer. You need him? Just call him. He’s as close as our own lips.
One thing I’ve learned recently is that oftentimes non-believers expect becoming a Christian to be some complicated, cumbersome process where you have to specifically say the right words and oh-so carefully jump through the right hoops. But Paul says we just call him.
If I need my friend, do I light candles, chant their name over and over, and hope this ritual connects me to them? No, I just call him.
All the time I hear people say, “If you need me for anything, I’m just a phone call away.”
Our God is no different. Salvation is just one call away.
I’m not a big NASCAR fan, but I do love pranks. Brian Vickers and his crew get my seal of approval for pulling of this pit stop in the middle of Times Square.
This segment on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon last night was incredible. Mark-Paul Gosselaar showed up for an interview in full character as Zack Morris from Saved By The Bell.
The hair, the rolled up jeans and hi-tops, Malibu Sands, Stansbury, time out/time in, the drop-down Kelly Kapowski poster, Johnny Dakota, the gigantic cell phone, a Zack Attack song… So many great memories.
Ya gotta give Mark-Paul credit for doing this. I don’t think most actors would revist their old roles like this.
Bring on the reunion.
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