Exodus 39:1-40:38
Mark 1:1-28
Psalm 35:1-16
Proverbs 9:11-12
Exodus 40:36 Now whenever the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out on their journey, following it. 37 But if the cloud did not rise, they remained where they were until it lifted. 38 The cloud of the Lord hovered over the Tabernacle during the day, and at night fire glowed inside the cloud so the whole family of Israel could see it. This continued throughout all their journeys.
God's presence descended on the Tabernacle like a cloud. Just as the Lord went before them as a cloud by day and a fire by night when they first came out of Egypt. Now it was present over the Tabernacle. That is where the people had to look to see if they should stay or if they should move on. They could always see it even in the darkness of night there was a fire that shone from the cloud but they had to look that way to see it.
I remember hearing a preacher teach that God brings each one of us to the church for a reason and a purpose and until we have a clear direction from God we are to stay where He has placed us. And in other bible studies I have learned that when you are looking for God's will in what to do and you don't get an answer, then you should keep doing whatever He already has you doing.
I have had a couple of people recently mention to me that they have thought about changing churches. I have thought of it myself in the past for different reasons. I am so busy doing work in the church I have thought it would be nice to go somewhere else and have nothing to do just worship, study and connect. Other times I was disgruntled with how things happen or don't happen that I thought was important. Sometimes it was because I was looking for a different kind of service be it preaching or music or a different level of fellowship that I had seen in other churches. But then I remembered the teachings I mentioned and just as the Israelites looked to God by looking at the Tabernacle to know if they should move on, I also looked to God. I prayed and sought confirmation from the bible and listened for confirmation from sermons and other teaching, but I got none. So, when I didn't get confirmation that I should leave I knew that it was my idea and not some Spirit led idea and knew that I was supposed to keep doing what He already had me doing. Our previous pastor Cam had talked about how many times people would say to him things like they "just aren't getting anything" from the service. Just as the other pastor I had heard talk about being placed in a church body for a purpose he said that we should not be looking for what we can get out of a church but what can we contribute. Every one of us is placed in the body for a purpose. There is no part of our body that does not have a purpose. Some more obvious and noticeable like eyes, mouth, hands and feet. Others less obvious like earlobes, finger nails and like it says in 1 Corinthians 12 parts that are less honorable, unpresentable, or private. So, I needed to reexamine my reasons for wanting to leave and see what I could do to give in those areas. I needed to ask, why has God brought me to this church? Being too busy made it easy for me to not focus on my worship and just focus on my work. So instead of leaving I had to decide to truly worship Him during the service and let go of some of the service work that I had been doing. I am the kind of person that when something needs to be done I would just do it because I could. I would do it without looking to see if that was what God would have me do. So I had to look at my gifts, talents and passions that He has given me and seek how I could use those for Him. That meant that I had to step away from service that I was doing that was not in those areas and take on some things that were. When I was disappointed by how leadership is handling something I needed to pray for them and share my concerns in a loving way and trust that God has placed them where they are for a purpose and that His timing is best. When I went to other churches that had preaching, music and fellowship that I preferred I needed to be thankful for that experience but realize that no church is perfect and there are things there that I would not like as well. Also, I had to ask God to show me how I can give in those areas. How might my gifts, talents and passion be able to enhance areas of worship, music and fellowship. Every time that I have wanted to move on and looked to Him to see if I should He has said no and being obedient to Him has always resulted in Him blessing me in the areas that I was struggling in. Anytime we look to Him and instead of to our own thoughts and feelings on a subject He will honor it and fulfil our needs. He will direct us but we have to look toward Him to know should we stay where we are or do we move on in all things.
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