{"id":192,"date":"2015-07-22T03:59:43","date_gmt":"2015-07-22T03:59:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/marklandbenson.org\/wp\/?p=192"},"modified":"2015-07-22T03:59:43","modified_gmt":"2015-07-22T03:59:43","slug":"staying-in-step","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marklandbenson.org\/wp\/?p=192","title":{"rendered":"Staying in Step"},"content":{"rendered":"

I am wondering if we don’t all need a little more\u00a0wilderness experience<\/em> after reading Numbers 9. Check this out.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0<\/span>At the\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u2019s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained\u00a0in camp.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u2019s order\u00a0and did not set out.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u2019s command they would encamp, and then at his command they would set out.\u00a0<\/span>Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out.\u00a0<\/span>Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>At the\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u2019s command they encamped, and at the\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u2019s command they set out. They obeyed the\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u2019s order, in accordance with his command through Moses. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Numbers 9:18-23<\/span>\u00a0(NIV)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

This is total alignment with and total dependence on God. Whether day or night, whether for two days or a month or a year if the manifestation of God’s presence remained the people remained in place. If His presence moved then they moved. Always, the people remained in proximity to God according to His command.<\/p>\n

This is a great example of Israel’s obedience. Elsewhere they face disaster because of dragging their feet when God tells them to move ahead or for rushing ahead when God tells them to wait. Today, I think we need to be Numbers 9 people, ever choosing to be in step with God.<\/p>\n

Is there room in your life for God to change your plans? Are you seeking His direction in all you do, big or small? What are the signs that God gives you to know whether to move ahead or wait? What is the right direction?<\/p>\n

I am thinking that there can be great value in wilderness experiences. We’re not meant to remain there always but it seems as though we need the pressure of these experiences to push us out of our comfort zones. There is great danger in comfort, of perceived self reliance and self sufficiency. The wilderness creates God-dependance, for which we are designed.<\/p>\n

Be willing to be refined by wilderness experiences. Take up your cross daily and follow Christ. Remain in step with him and he will sustain and grow you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I am wondering if we don’t all need a little more\u00a0wilderness experience after reading Numbers 9. Check this out. \u00a0At the\u00a0Lord\u2019s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained\u00a0in camp.\u00a0When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marklandbenson.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marklandbenson.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marklandbenson.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marklandbenson.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marklandbenson.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=192"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/marklandbenson.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":194,"href":"https:\/\/marklandbenson.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192\/revisions\/194"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marklandbenson.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marklandbenson.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marklandbenson.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}