A Journey and A Destination

[0:00] A pastor's reflections, a journey, and a destination. Exodus 40, 37. But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.

[0:14] ! Psalm 78, 52. But he made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. Jude 1, 24.

[0:27] Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling. And to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. People in general don't necessarily mind being told what to do and where to go.

[0:43] As long as they have some type of assurance of the outcome. If someone is given directions to a hidden fortune, they will most assuredly endure perils and privations that someone merely given directions to the city dump would not.

[1:00] As long as we can see where we are going and how we will get there, we feel that we can maintain some control over our destiny and destination. At the end of Exodus 40, Israel has just completed a massive undertaking.

[1:16] They have completed the building, setting up, and implementing of the tabernacle. They are now able to operate under a new system, the Levitical priesthood.

[1:28] While this moment most definitely felt like a finish line, it was in fact only the beginning of the rest of their journey. They were now not only able to have God's presence dwell with them, but to lead them.

[1:43] Without God's presence in the tabernacle and with the ark of the testimony, Israel would have been destined to journey alone. It must have been a bit nerve-wracking, that first time that God's presence lifted from off of the tabernacle and moved out towards the edge of the camp.

[2:03] Was God leaving them? How do they know where he is leading them next? Maybe God's presence lifted because they had done something wrong. They were so comfortable where they were at.

[2:15] Why did they have to move? These are all legitimate questions, and they are all also answered the same way, by following.

[2:27] Hosea 6.3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord. His going forth is prepared as the morning, and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

[2:42] Hebrews 10.36 Only by following after the Lord will we know what he has next for us.

[2:58] Yes, we, like Israel, know ultimately that there is a land of promise in front of us, but the journey and path to get there are not as assured. Will we go by easy roads or rough ways?

[3:11] Will we go alone or with a large company? Can I count on comfort or distress? All of these are legitimate questions.

[3:22] And also, like Israel, the only way to know is to go. I cannot promise a perfect journey, but I can promise that if you choose to follow where God's presence leads, you will have one journey with you who loves you perfectly and who will perfectly care for you every step of the way.

[3:44] Today, follow after, even if you don't know what is coming after. John 14.6 Jesus said unto him, I am the way.

[3:57] Father, thank you that the voice that calls us to follow after the presence of God is a voice of love. Thank you that Jesus has not only made a way for us, but is the way and will be with us as we journey on the way.

[4:11] Help us today to trust you to lead us to our destination, your presence. Amen.