I’ll Take a Cloud…or Two

I read my “FB Memories” from this day a couple of years ago. Back then I was all caught up in gratitude for the rain, and cooler temperatures and the Fall season that was in the air. This year it seems Summer doesn’t want to give way just yet!

I’m in Tulsa right now, and even this seven hours north from Austin, the mornings are cooler, but the daytime, is still very warm. Nature welcomed me as I embraced the beautiful Fall colors in the hills.

Like the title of this blog, I’ll take a cloud or two that gets this Fall party started. I’m also thinking of the “cloud” that went ahead of the Israelite wilderness wanderers. “By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way …” (Exodus 13:21). Aw! A holy cloud leading them!

There are just some days when a cloud or two would be awesome in pointing the way for me. Perhaps you’re like me and you could sure use some reinforcement on some difficult decisions you are making.

Instead of allowing frustration and angst to overwhelm us, maybe it’s time to chill – relax and stop trying to figure everything out. Maybe the better thing is to stop looking and listening for a blaring answer from God – and to simply ease into a place of “coming into His presence with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise.” (Psalm 95:2)

Maybe what we need to do is simply sit at His feet and indulge ourselves in Him. Praying for wisdom, clarity, and guidance about how to move forward. Praying for peace and hope to fill our hearts and minds that leaves no room for confusion.

That “cloud” phenomenon guided the Israelites during the daytime. We could sure use a holy cloud to guide us. If those Hebrew children would have trusted more and complained less, the direct path would have been only an eleven-days journey instead of their 40-years journey.

Hearing that makes my thoughts become less cloudy and I rest in knowing God is our guide. If we take a wrong turn, He is still there, redirecting us, guiding us and leading us out of the wilderness. In fact, He may take us down the most difficult journey, with full intention of growing our faith along the way.

We may not have a cloud we can see with our eyes, but we can trust God is always leading the way. God may lead us into the wilderness, and He may even guide us there to camp for a while, but He will never leave us there. Regardless of the decisions we make, we’ll never be on any path alone.

Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”