What if the Cloud Moves?

“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.” Numbers 9:22 

A few months ago I was reading through the book of Numbers, and specifically Numbers 9:15-23, when God asked a question that stopped me in my tracks; a question that has since been asked of me daily and a question that has served to keep me grounded in this season of my journey. 

I want to begin by inviting you into this scripture with me. 

“Now on the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony; from evening until morning it was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire. So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, after that the children of Israel would journey; and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel would pitch their tents. At the command of the Lord the children of Israel would journey, and at the command of the Lord they would camp; as long as the cloud stayed above the tabernacle they remained encamped. Even when the cloud continued long, many days above the tabernacle, the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and did not journey. So it was, when the cloud was above the tabernacle a few days: according to the command of the Lord they would remain encamped, and according to the command of the Lord they would journey. So it was, when the cloud remained only from evening until morning: when the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they would journey; whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud was taken up, they would journey. Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey. At the command of the Lord they remained encamped, and at the command of the Lord they journeyed; they kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses.” 
Numbers 9:15-23, NKJV

This scripture paints a beautiful picture of the Israelites following the command of the Lord through their witnessing of the cloud. When the cloud ‘continued long’ above the tabernacle, the children of Israel remained encamped. When the cloud stayed for ‘a few days’, they remained. When the cloud sat over the tabernacle ‘only from evening until morning’, they would set out as led in the morning. “…Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud was taken up, they would journey.” Whether led to remain encamped or to journey, the Israelites were completely observant and obedient to the command of the Lord. 

I sat with this scripture and began to consider what this would look like for the Israelites. If the cloud moved, they would pick up everything in their possession and move along. In the same way, when the cloud remained, they would set up camp and settle in… at least for a night. What would it look like to live in that type of a way?

Having spent some considerable amounts of time camping out of my car, I was given a little glimpse of what this may have felt like for the Israelites… settled into a space, yet ready to move the next day, in the next few days or when the rain came in the middle of the night. In a small way, I could relate to the Israelites in this space of balancing being settled in, yet ready to move. 

Similarly, I was reminded of the many times that I have had the opportunity to ‘settle in’ to a new home away from home throughout the past few years. At each location I have learned street names, located the favorites hang-outs for locals, established a running route, found a church, and made a community – all of which was done in knowing that the day would come when my cloud would move. I was temporary with each move and I knew that. I would become settled in to an extent, yet ready to depart when my commitment came to an end. 

As the images of car camping and my many ‘homes away from home’ began circling in my mind, I was brought back to the here and now. Once again, here I am in a temporary setting. Another ‘home away from home’. Another place where my time commitment will come and go. Another place where I am settling in, yet ready to move. 

It was in that moment that God asked me the question that has served to reroot me daily. 

If the cloud moves tomorrow, are you ready? 

Unlike being ready to pack up my tent in minutes when the rain came at night, God wasn’t addressing a physical readiness with this question. God wasn’t asking if my bags were packed and ready by the door of my cabin. It was a spiritual readiness. 

In the weeks following up to this question, God had shown me that there was great reason in my coming here. He had reminded me that every single person on this ship had a story that led them to this exact place in time, myself included, and that not one of those journeys was an accident. He reminded me of the body of Christ and it’s many members – all of which are needed to form the whole, with Christ as the head. And personally, He had given me very clear glimpses of my purpose in this mission, including specific ways to be in prayer surrounding the ship and many of the faces that I was coming to know.

With these things in mind, that question rang through my mind yet again. 

If the cloud moves tomorrow, are you ready? 

It is truly incredible the way in which God utilizes each of His children to their maximum potential, or capacity, within a season while at the same time equipping us and growing us to have an even greater capacity for the next season. 

Was I fully stepping forward as led by the Lord with an unrestricted trust in His guidance? Had I fully stepped into the purpose that the Lord was making clear for me here? Had I walked into the place that the Lord had prepared for me in advance – not only to be a light unto His love, but also to fully encounter the growth that He has intended for me in this season? Had I been diligent with the interactions that He was orchestrating and the specific places of prayer that He had laid on my heart? 

If the cloud moved tomorrow… had I stepped fully into everything that the Lord had laid before me and called me into throughout my time here…no matter how long or how short He would keep me in this specific settling?

If the call came tomorrow that I needed to return home, had I maximized the opportunity? Or if the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly shut down the mission as it had done in 2020, could I leave the ship in knowing that I gave it my all as led by the Lord? 

Or was there a piece of me that was holding on? Was there a piece of me that was trying to spread myself out over the five months that I was anticipating spending onboard? Was there a piece of me hesitant to step forward in fullness? 

Brother, sister… I want to extend this same question to you today. 

If the cloud moves tomorrow, are you ready? 

God has surely placed you right where you are today. He prepared you for your today and He prepared your today for you. He has gone before you, is with you, and will follow behind you.

Are you stepping fully into what He has laid before you today? Are you allowing Him to use the full capacity that He has created in you that He may most greatly be glorified through you, right where you are today?

Matthew 6:34 says, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself” (NIV).  If we are not to even worry about tomorrow, should we live sparingly today? I don’t believe that to be the case! Why should we live in a way as to carry our capacity into tomorrow? 

In the scriptures preceding Matthew 6:34 we are told, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Verse 26, NIV) and “If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?” (Verse 30, NIV). God’s promised provision is laced throughout this passage. If we are promised physical provision… will God not all the more provide us with a new capacity for tomorrow, for the glorification of His name?

So what should keep us from walking into the fullness of what the Lord has placed before us today? 

Shortly after the Lord first laid these questions on my heart, we experienced an outbreak of COVID-19 here on the ship, changing nearly everything. The community life on the ship was completely halted. Our normal day to day functions shifted. Our ability to get off the ship was restricted. Our interaction with the local population was limited. Quite frankly, in many ways, our cloud moved, and personally, my cloud had certainly moved. The opportunities that I had to interact with new friends, work with my coworkers, observe a new culture, so on and so forth were suddenly gone as I was placed into my isolation room. Though it was only for ten days, and then my cloud was likely to shift back to where it had been, it was in that room that my eyes were more greatly opened to the importance of living as though the cloud would move tomorrow. 

You never know what opportunity, circumstance, situation, or person may be before you today that won’t be tomorrow. So friend, don’t wait for tomorrow. Don’t hold back. Step fully into what the Lord has laid before you in this day, trusting that He will provide a new and greater capacity in you for tomorrow – for the glory of His great Name. 

My hope is that with every day that comes and goes I can say… 

If the cloud moves tomorrow I am ready 

…and my hope is the same for you.  

With so much love, 

Your sister in Christ