God's Presence

In today's first reading,Exodus 40: 16-21, 34-38,  Moses, following God's commands, erects a Dwelling for the Lord. A "cloud covered the meeting tent, and the glory of the Lord filled the Dwelling...Whenever the cloud rose from the Dwelling, the children of Israel would set out on their journey. But if the cloud did not lift, they would not go forward;only when it lifted did they go forward. In the daytime the cloud of the Lord was seen over the Dwelling; whereas at night, fire was seen in the cloud by the whole house of Israel in all the stages of their journey."

God is also with us "in all the stages of [our] journey"--sometimes as a Cloud and sometimes as Fire, even when our eyes are veiled from seeing God clearly or not at all!  We could learn from the Israelites to not go forward when "a cloud" hangs over our life but to wait until the cloud lifts. "Wait upon the Lord" and we shall be saved, we are told in the Scriptures.

Let us pray for the grace to learn to wait for the Lord's directions. Let us call upon the Lord to show us the way when "the cloud or clouds" fog our vision, making impossible for us to see which way to turn, or what decision to make.  May we have the humility to know when we don't know and to avoid pretending that we do know when in fact we do not have a clue!

Clarity of Vision--The Lifting of the Cloud

In today’s first reading from Exodus 40: 16-21, 34-38,  we are given instructions that are applicable  to our lives as Christians today; namely, Moses does exactly as the Lord had commanded him in erecting “the Dwelling.”  Also of significance to those erecting a dwelling for the Lord within their very being and within their marriage, their single life, their religious life or as priests,  is the statement:  “Whenever the cloud rose from the Dwelling, the children of Israel would set out on their journey. But if the cloud did not lift, they would not go forward; only when it lifted did they go forward. In the daytime the cloud of the Lord was seen over the Dwelling; whereas at night, fire was seen in the cloud by the whole house of Israel in all the states of their journey.” 

How often do I act when “the cloud” has not lifted. I am unsure. I have no clear sign of which direction to choose but go ahead anyway. The result: I realize that I did not wait upon the Lord. I rushed ahead and did it MY way. When I do that, it is always a mistake. Psalm 27: 14, tells us to “wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord.”  Psalm 37: 7 counsels us to “[b]e still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.”  The prophet Isaiah reminds us that “they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (Is 40:31). The prophet Habakkuk  reminds us that “the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay” (Habakkuk 2:3).

Your experience?