So am reading in Exodus right now and am thinking about The Cloud and Pillar that went with the children of Israel. When the cloud moved, the people moved. When the cloud rested the people rested. And at night the cloud became a pillar.
"At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents." Numbers 9:18
What a predicament for folks who want to move on! It's not as if they don't know where they're going. God has given them guidance as to their future. But for reasons they don't understand they must not move. Now it's okay if the cloud does this resting bit for one day. But what if it rested for weeks on end? How to rest and enter into that rest, that stasis one doesn't understand? Oh, sure God might have caused us to rest to prepare the way before us -- wild beasts, warring tribes etc-- but this sitting around after guidance has been given and not moving...well, it's stressful I'd think.
And right now...wow... But I won't go on about my personal and financial life. But was blessed by this hymn...so.. here is Immortal, Invisible God, only wise. This is the first hymn I remember consciously learning. It's based on I Timothy 1:17, "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever"
This hymn reminds us that God rules. Goodness rules. The underlying unchanging spiritual reality of perfcetion and truth rules all things, never rushes, never has to catch up. This peace operates with a wisdom human and angelic minds can't fully understand. The working of this spiritual reality -love, care, peace, justice-- is constant, powerful, mighty... yet unseen, inaccessible, mysterious. The work is to labor to rest in that truth of God's love and wisdom.
Lord, I'm trusting that underneath are your everlasting arms. -C
"At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents." Numbers 9:18
What a predicament for folks who want to move on! It's not as if they don't know where they're going. God has given them guidance as to their future. But for reasons they don't understand they must not move. Now it's okay if the cloud does this resting bit for one day. But what if it rested for weeks on end? How to rest and enter into that rest, that stasis one doesn't understand? Oh, sure God might have caused us to rest to prepare the way before us -- wild beasts, warring tribes etc-- but this sitting around after guidance has been given and not moving...well, it's stressful I'd think.
And right now...wow... But I won't go on about my personal and financial life. But was blessed by this hymn...so.. here is Immortal, Invisible God, only wise. This is the first hymn I remember consciously learning. It's based on I Timothy 1:17, "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever"
This hymn reminds us that God rules. Goodness rules. The underlying unchanging spiritual reality of perfcetion and truth rules all things, never rushes, never has to catch up. This peace operates with a wisdom human and angelic minds can't fully understand. The working of this spiritual reality -love, care, peace, justice-- is constant, powerful, mighty... yet unseen, inaccessible, mysterious. The work is to labor to rest in that truth of God's love and wisdom.
Lord, I'm trusting that underneath are your everlasting arms. -C
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