With Us in the Wilderness: A Study of the Book of NumbersSample

Where We Find Ourselves

Pause. Breathe. Pray.

Numbers opens in the wilderness of Sinai with God telling Moses to take a military census of the people. They were readying themselves to enter the promised land. However, as a consequence of their lack of faith, they wandered in the wilderness for forty years. The generation that had been delivered from Egypt died in the wilderness (Numbers 32:13). Praise the Lord the story doesn’t end there! God still had a plan for His children. He ordered another military census of the new generation. Numbers closes with Israel positioned to settle in the promised land.

Read Genesis 12:1-3. As the Israelites stood on the edge of the promised land, which part of God’s call of Abraham might have come to mind?

You might be a little perturbed to find out that Moses didn’t make it to the promised land. Moses learned a lot of leadership lessons the hard way. And the people didn’t exactly make it easy for him! But what Moses did get to experience in the wilderness was worth the hardship. Moses experienced God’s presence. God was with him in the wilderness.

Read Exodus 33:11.

I don’t know about you, but I can only imagine what that might be like. Yes, as a believer in Christ, I have received the Holy Spirit and can speak with the Lord whenever and wherever I am. I don’t want to lose the awe and wonder of that reality. But to speak face-to-face? That will be something!

Moses experienced an intimacy with the Lord we won’t see this side of heaven, and yet, God’s heart hasn’t changed toward His people. The invitation to draw near to Him still stands. In the letter to the church in Laodicea, Jesus invites us to commune with Him.

Read Revelation 3:20 now.

This appeal is extended to you too. Do you hear Him knocking? Will you open the door? Jesus doesn’t care if you’ve tidied up or not. He simply desires to sit with you as you would sit with a dear friend over a meal together—all the laughter, all the tears, all the depth of conversation and communion.