Have you ever felt adrift? Have you ever felt as if your life was directionless or that maybe you were running ahead of God, or falling behind? How do you know if you are walking with God or off on some rabbit trail? Can we even know what direction God wants us to go?
During the Exodus the Israelites wandered in the wilderness, but there was purpose in their wanderings. God was accomplishing His work in them and in others through them. To the outsider looking in, it appeared the Israelites were meandering lost with no clear direction. This prompted Pharaoh and his army to attack and ultimately die in the Red Sea. The Israelites were not meandering aimlessly, they were following God's direction.
The Israelites had a physical manifestation of the presence of God, a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
Exodus 40:36-37 Throughout all their journeys whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out; but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up.
Exodus 13:21 The LORD was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.
Today, the church has a physical manifestation of God to guide us. We have the Holy Spirit indwelling. The key for us, as believers, is knowing God to the point we are able to sense His leadership in our lives. God is a personal being and to say He merely desires relationship with us would be a gross understatement. All we can know about God is found in scripture but to truly know God requires building a relationship. God initiated contact with us, He gave us a perfect world to live in - we messed it up. He gave us leaders to follow - we rebelled against them. He gave us His written Word - we allow it to collect dust on a shelf. He sent us His Son - we killed Him. He sent us His Holy Spirit - we disdain His influence.
As a society, we have worked hard to misunderstand and misrepresent God. We have attempted to re-create the creator in order to justify our own will and behavior. God has SO MUCH MORE for us than just knowing about Him. How can we expect to know what God wants from us if we do not know God. I cannot trust direction from someone I do not know, much less believe the direction is authentic. Take the time to know God, spend time with Him in prayer, worship, fellowship with other believers. Seek out discipleship. Only after you know God can you truly know His plan for your life.
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