I am a firm believer that we should WATCH FOR GOD – it is not a just a Vacation Bible School reminder but a daily life reminder – WATCH FOR GOD – Pray if you can’t see the path, wait, listen, talk with God. Talk it out with His people too, but always let God have the LAST WORD (and the FIRST too)… Take the TIME to THINK: How is GOD directing ME in THIS situation.
Numbers make me think – and numbers help us use our brain over our hearts – numbers click our brain waves up into mental logic and rational thought locations (rather than whims of fear or fantasy or flight). Thinking will help us to THINK, BE STILL, WATCH FOR GOD… Numbers right now should give us information about statistics over hype. Numbers give us information of risk factors for illnesses, surgery outcomes, and real-world things. Numbers help us with weather too – 100 degrees 80 degrees 30 degrees – what weather gear will we wear… are we prepared?
One of the major things I remember about my Dad’s last years is that he would always look at the clock and know what was going on – he kept a schedule – his words were few but he always kept track – he checked with me when I would be driving thru the mountains on my trip home – would it be icy or dark – or would I be too tired by the end and risk falling asleep. My Dad could still grasp the math and time just like he grasped the TV remote and knew how the football teams were doing. His stroke did not rob him of understanding numbers or time or LOVE… He probably learned a lot about time just in his time waiting… we should too…
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Over and over again in recent bible teachings, I have heard the reminder that the heart will make a convert of the brain, taking us down the wrong path – that is why we are told to GUARD OUR HEARTS. God knows our hearts – and knows our leaning towards sin and He knows us just being silly when we are getting away with ourselves. We are not to “follow our hearts”, especially if we are easily pulled in this direction or that – which we are. We are instructed to FOLLOW GOD… And God will have us WAIT ON HIM – and HE will have us think, yes, but also simply have us FOLLOW. I appreciate that in the time of Moses, God Himself gave command of when He wanted the Israelites to move and when to stay. He had this GIANT CLOUD over the TENT of the COVENANT LAW that stayed when it was time to stay or this cloud lifted when it was time to travel. Can you imagine a cloud God made? At night, the cloud looked like FIRE.
Why should we wait on God? Why should we travel when He lifts the cloud? Because He has us going places for His benefit and ours. His covenant law tent was for those times, but now you and I travel with Jesus leading. We too must listen before acting, flying off the deep end or giving up hope. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
Stop worry, and watch. Stop fear of life and embrace it.
Ask the Lord, especially in these times, this season, to help us number our days, so that we make the most of our time.
If you have time for God, you will learn the He HAS set aside time for you, now and forever. He can stop time, make it seem to fly by, He is timeless too. He knows the time and the hour of when Jesus will return.
Be mindful because He’s minding His Plan. KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN.
WATCH FOR GOD!
AMEN!!!
The Cloud Above the Tabernacle (Numbers 9:15-23)
On the day the tabernacle, the tent of the covenant law, was set up, the cloud covered it. From evening till morning the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire. That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire. Whenever the cloud lifted from above the tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped. At the Lord’s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the Lord’s order and did not set out. Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the Lord’s command they would encamp, and then at his command they would set out. 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. 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. At the Lord’s command they encamped, and at the Lord’s command they set out. They obeyed the Lord’s order, in accordance with his command through Moses.
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Psalm 90 – A prayer of Moses the man of God.
Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.” A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death – they are like the new grass of the morning: In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered.
We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan. Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Relent, Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children.
May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.
Debbie Upper 