Led Day & Night
God's plan has always been to lead all people to salvation as Lord of their lives and Savior to their souls.
“Moses answered them, “Wait until I find out what the Lord commands concerning you.” 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. 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. 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."
Numbers 9:7-8, 15-22
God led them. Wouldn't it be helpful to have God lead you in everything you did? Would it not be amazing to know exactly when to move and when to stay, when to work and when to play, with God experientially leading you each moment night and day? The word says that God led and the people listened. There was such clarity to how they lived.
God wanted to lead His people and He wants to lead you. He is a God who is always working in our past, present, and future. He knows how to lead us to the promised land and how to experience Him throughout the journey. Do you face any uncertainty in your life? Is there anywhere you need to know where to go, what to do, or how to do it? What could this teach us about learning to trust God's timing?
“The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.”
Psalms 126:3, 5-6
God leads us through. He leads us from valleys to mountaintops and from our mountaintops to fruitful plains. One challenging aspect of our humanity is not knowing what lies ahead nor how things will work out. We can get stuck. When we face adversity, suffer loss, experience difficulty our default action can be to stop. We can stop moving forward, but God never stops moving.
In those moments it would seem like the gap between God and us would widen, but it doesn't. It shrinks. God is close to the broken hearted, full of grace and mercy. Where do you need to receive God's comfort and believe in His character of compassion? He meets you where you are and calls you forward. He whispers the truth. I am with you and I am for you. Come with me and we will make it through.
“By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off."
Proverbs 24:3-4, 13-14, 17, 23, 32
God leads us the right way. Odds are, if you were to evaluate the times of your life when you moved in the right direction, the decisions that led you in the right direction were wise. Each day we have a choice whether we are going to listen to the wisdom that God gives through the Spirit and His word or whether we are going to do things on our own. Do you feel like you are going in the right direction and at peace with the timing of how life is unfolding?
We live in a world that tries to turn truth into relativism and encourage each of us to do what we want. This is not wise. The beginning of wisdom starts with recognizing that our perspectives are limited and the view that directionally leads us to peace is one of the where we see the back of our Savior as we follow Him. Are you leading or is God? God wants to give you a hope and a future, but the key to the door that opens to new life is Jesus. He has to be the one who leads.
“At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood...Whoever will listen let them listen, and whoever will refuse let them refuse; for they are a rebellious people.”
Ezekiel 3:1, 3, 7, 10-11, 16-18, 20-21, 27
God uses you to help lead others. What does He expect from you? He asks that you lead those who are willing be led. It can be hard to want to continue to love the wicked or share your faith with others who are not believers. How comfortable are you sharing the story of how Jesus has changed your life? How much do you think about helping those who are not kind to you or who twist the truth?
God says to Ezekiel that he is accountable beyond just his own faith. God has an expectation that Ezekiel will move when He calls him to move and stay when He calls him to stay. He expects Ezekiel to talk when He calls him to talk and listen when He calls him to listen. No different that the cloud leading the ancient Israelites, God expects us to be obedient to our calling. Pray. Ask God to reveal a person or a name of someone who you could encourage or share time with today. Then go and do it.
“Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved...Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved...how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard...How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Romans 10:1, 4, 9-10, 12-15
Jesus leads us to eternal life. One of the most transformative verses in Scripture is found in Romans 10. A promise that has led countless people to salvation is that if you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved. Believing in Jesus is like purchasing the car of salvation. Declaring Jesus Lord is giving Him the keys to start your new life and gets the car moving.
Do you believe Jesus was raised from the dead? How has that led your words, actions and attitude today? Is He Lord of your Life? Does He have full authority and full control of the steering wheel?
The promise of salvation and a life led by Christ is for you, me, and everyone. Notice how Paul gives us this incredible promise and then turns our attention to God's purposes. It's like Paul says don't miss out the cloud is moving! God gave us feet to move and to bring good news to the world around us as we follow Jesus' pattern of living by declaring the good news to a world desperately in need of good news. God promises of Christ, not comfort. Sharing the good news might not come easy.
How do you start? How would you describe the good news to others? Always remember the good news of how Jesus changed your life and share your story. God meets people where they are then leads them personally, experientially, one at a time to salvation. Listen to the Holy Spirit and led God lead you in His timing to love the person He leads you to as they need to be loved.