At the end of the book of Exodus, the pattern is established as to how the people of God would travel on their way to the Promised Land.  They would follow the cloud that covered the tent of meeting when the glory of the Lord was present. “Whenever the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out on each stage of their journey, but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day that it was taken up” (Exodus 40:36-37).

I expect that people would have had trouble with this pattern. I know I would have. I want to know what the plan is. Are we staying here for the next few days? Will we be moving out tomorrow morning? It’s not like God has to consult me, or get my permission, as to whether tomorrow is a travel day or a stay in camp day. I just want to know what the plan is.

But the people of Israel did not get to know what the plan was. They would not know until they woke up in the morning, and saw that the cloud had been lifted and was starting to lead them on the next stage of their journey, or that the cloud had remained covering the tent of meeting and they would remain in this camp for (at least) one more day. And (at least) a lot of the time, I don’t get to know the plan any sooner than they did.


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You are the Lord, the king of the universe! And I am not. I am only a minor servant in your kingdom, O God, and surely it is my place to live and act and ponder with patience, content not to know your plan until the day you reveal it. Teach me to wait for the moment when you speak, confident that I will know what I need to know, at that time.

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