Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Piller of Smoke & Fire

For my devotions, I do a combination of Bible reading, journaling, singing and prayer (in English, Spanish and Tongues). The anchor is the Bible reading portion. The other activities are inserted into the Bible time. I aim to read 3 chapters per day in English and selected passages in Spanish. I just finished reading Exodus. The book ends with the completion of the "Tent of Meeting" (also referred to as the Tabernacle). This was a big tent with the Ark of the covenant at one end and a larger area for animal sacrifices. The tent was the place where God's presence was manifested and was both physically and figuratively at the center of the community (i.e., all the tribes set their tents around this central tent). The final verses of Exodus read as follows:

Ex 40:34-8--Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels.

I want that. I want God's presence to settle upon me in a visible fashion. I want to be lead by God's Spirit in a strong way. If He goes, I go. If He sits tight, then I sit tight. I want Him in sight in all my travels.

Please pray for me, for this to be a reality.

2 comments:

my two hopeful wings said...

You all are so often in our prayers. I have just now come back home from a place here called "The Tabernacle" and the very same words...about wanting to go and stay where the Lord does...were spoken there this very night. I know you and your family do not remember me, but the Lord used you all to speak into my life before you left for Peru. I pray you feel the Lord's presence and His great love for you. Your family's life of faith in our God encourages me.

Bill and Lena Shrader said...

Thanks, Jenni. Your posts to this blog are a blessing. If you're not already on our e-mail newsletter mailing list, please check out the link to our web site and send me an email.

Mucho Agape,
Bill