the lesson learned from numbers

I have been reading through the book of Numbers. I can't say its my favorite book of the Bible, but that is where I'm at. In a lot of ways it's pretty intimidating. All those rules, regulations, stipulations; I would be terrified to step out of my house in fear that I was going to sin without realizing it. But you have to say, it is also a pretty exciting story. God's people are out on this adventure, God has taken the Israelites from this life of oppression and slavery in Egypt and is leading them to this dream land of milk and honey. Do you know though, what I feel more than anything, the thought that crosses my mind about a dozen times every chapter. . . I say- seriously Israelites. I so often am reading and can only think, Are you really doing that? Are you really testing God like that? Are you really that ignorant that you can't see EVERYTHING God is doing??? How He is constantly speaking through Moises. The way that He makes Himself known through the cloud and fire, how everything that He says will happen, does. How can you people be so naive as to not simply trust Him. Isn't it obvious enough that He IS?!

I was sitting there reading just getting so frustrated with it all and suddenly this book just smacked me across the back of the head. God came out and said, you think I put this book in the Bible just to get a little action in the storyline??? No. It all applies. I think to myself, geez, don't you suppose you are the same as those Israelites. Even though God has been shown and proven time and time again over and over, you still doubt. God says, you still question whether or not I know what I'm doing. If you would just trust me and go along with my plan you would realize there is no place for worry, no place for doubt and no reason to try and fight against me.

It looks so obvious when you are reading a story with a beginning, middle, and end, but for some reason it's so much harder to apply to real life.

So this is what I am learning, even though somedays I may feel like I'm wandering like the Israelites, God has it all mapped ou, and I have to stop being so stubborn in thinking that God may have left me to make desicions without Him and remember that He makes His presense known every single day, and I just have to trust. I have to stop questioning Him. I have to stop being like the Israelites and just let God be God and lead me.