WATCHING FOR GOD

Numbers 8:1-9:23; Mark 13:14-37; Psalm 50:1-23; Proverbs 10:29-30

 “Whenever the cloud lifted from over the sacred tent, the people of Israel would break camp and follow it. And wherever the cloud settled, the people of Israel would set up camp. In this way, they traveled and camped at the Lord’s command wherever he told them to go. Then they remained in their camp as long as the cloud stayed over the Tabernacle.”

“You, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know when the master of the household will return—in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak. Don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning. I say to you what I say to everyone: Watch for him!”

“Do I eat the meat of bulls?
Do I drink the blood of goats?
 Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High.
 Then call on me when you are in trouble,
and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.”

“The way of the Lord is a stronghold to those with integrity, but it destroys the wicked.”

If there was a motto for what God is showing me at this moment, it would be “Pay Attention!”  There is so much more to the Spirit than we give Christ credit for, but we miss it because we aren’t looking for it.  The early Hebrews knew what it was to literally depend on God’s direction.  They had to be attentive.  Why do we think we can afford to be any less so?  The fact is, we can’t afford it; we just are less attentive.  It’s no answer to say it's easier to concentrate on God in a desert, where nothing else is competing for our attention.  The question is not whether we focus on other things; the question is whether we focus on God, or not.

Why doesn’t God guide me the way He did the Israelites? Who says He doesn’t?  Only the guy who doesn’t see.  But the lack of perception does not prove the lack of activity.  Christ is working, calling, inviting.  If we don’t see Him, it’s more our fault than His.  We need to train ourselves to see the deep things of God.

Example: I started this blog after months of feeling like the Spirit had left me dangling: no input, no message, no Word, but a ton of anxiety, some reasonable, some not. A good friend suggested getting back to the Bible might help.  He also mentioned keeping and sharing his own journal with a friend.  I heard written accountability, and this blog was born.  I have some friends I trust holding me to it.  But that’s now more about friendship than necessity.  The things Jesus has showed me since this adventure began have pretty much guaranteed my plan to stay the course.  The process has sharpened and redirected my focus, and I am just stunned at the blessings I’ve seen as a result.

 If we are going to live in victory, we have to commit to diligently seek Jesus, first.  Then, if my experience means anything, He’ll handle the rest. He’s not hiding, after all.  Just don’t underestimate the power of spiritual inertia.  It’s like going to the gym.  Once I got out of the habit of daily time with the Spirit, I lost my spiritual muscle tone and coordination.  Today is a good day to start a new spiritual fitness plan.