“These are the stages of the journeys of the Israelites, by which they came out of the land of Egypt by their [tribal] armies, under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. Moses recorded their points of departure, as the Lord commanded, stage by stage; and these are their journeys according to their points of departure: They set out from Rameses on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day after the Passover the Israelites moved out triumphantly in the sight of all the Egyptians, while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn whom the Lord had struck down among them. Upon their gods the Lord also executed judgments. Then the Israelites moved out from Rameses [where they had all joined together] and camped in Succoth. They moved out from Succoth and camped in Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness.” (Numbers 33:1-6 The Amplified Bible)
If you study the thirty-third chapter of Number, you will discover that the Israelites camped at many places as they progressed from Egypt to the Promised Land. I only presented you with the first six verses of Chapter 33, but if you read the entire chapter or even just scan through it, you will note that on their way to the place they were destined to occupy, the Israelites camped out 42 times. Things happened at each location, but it cannot be argued that the Lord was with them every step of the way.
On your journeys in life, my fellow believer, you will camp out at many places to get to your desired location. When I say, “journeys,” I am referring to more than one type of journey. Yes, “journeys” as I am using the term this morning, includes your spiritual journey, your educational journey, your career journey, your advancing age journey, your relationship journey, the journey that takes you to where you learn to be content, and your journey to a place where you can declare with integrity, “I’ve learned to trust in Jesus. I’ve learned to trust in God.” Here is the good news saint! All along your journey the Lord has been with you. Sometimes the places where you have to camp out are not where you prefer, but they are places where you will be prepared to move to the next stage on your journey.
In the past I have quoted Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, who once said, “You don’t have to see the top of the staircase to take the next step.” Not claiming to match the eloquent expressions of this erudite, great civil rights leader, I put it this way, “You don’t have to see your final location, but you do have to keep moving from campsite to campsite until you reach you destiny.” As you walk by faith, through the sunshine and the rain, through troubles and triumph, through crisis, challenges, and conquering experiences, remember the Lord is with you. And keep in mind, “You don’t know what God is doing until He is done.” So, thank the Lord and praise God for all that you have benefited from as you go through multiple campsites to get to where the Lord wants you to be. Continue your journey with the One who will never leave you or forsake you. Perhaps the closing verses will be worth reading, giving you some more to think about on your way to your destiny. They might keep you on the right path.
Have a great time at worship service this morning. Christmas is over, but Christians keep celebrating Christ in the assembly of the saints. See you there! Be blessed!
“I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud, and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food 4and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness. These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three-thousand of them died. We should not test Christ, as some of them did, and were killed by snakes. And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel. Now these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall. No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.” (I Corinthians 10:1-13 Berean Standard Bible)
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King
Amen, Thank you for always remining us to stay God-conscious, and Christ-centered. Be B,essed
Thank you for your faithfulness in reading these meditations, making them available to others, and as apparent by your witness, you are striving to stay God-conscious and Christ-centered. Bless you!