READ: EXODUS 13:21-22; 40:34-38; DEUTERONOMY 1:33; PSALM 73:25-27

Have you ever been between houses or apartments? When you had to leave one home, but you didn’t have another home to go to? That’s happened to our family. It’s not pleasant. Those times can be very stressful, and there are so many unknowns. You don’t know how long you will have to stay with friends, or live in a hotel, or camp in a tent. You don’t know when you will find a new place, or where your new home will be.

The Israelites were in a similar predicament. God delivered them from slavery in Egypt, but then they had to constantly move around. They would camp for a time, then move on when God told them. The Bible describes the scene in beautiful detail. God’s presence could be visibly seen as a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night. These would actually come down into the camp and rest in a special room, called the Holy of Holies, within a series of tents, called the tabernacle, which the Israelites had made specifically for God by His direction.

The people would know that God was there with them because of the cloud and the fire. Then, when God wanted them to move on, the cloud would lift from above the tent. The people would see God’s presence move, and they’d know it was time to pack up and head out…where, exactly? Nobody knew, not even Moses, the one God had appointed to lead His people.

That would be hard! Can you imagine the uncertainty of never knowing if tonight is the last night at this camping spot, or if we’ll hang out here for months, or even years? And yet, the Israelites had something pretty wonderful. They had the very presence of God, right there in front of them, in a pillar of cloud during the day, or in a pillar of fire at night. The visible presence of God. Perhaps they learned to look toward that cloud often. Perhaps they learned that any peace about next steps would only arise when gazing upon His cloud.

Today, we don’t have a cloud or a fire showing us the presence of God that we can look at when we face uncertainties. But we have something better! Jesus is Immanuel, which means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). When Jesus died on the cross and rose from the grave, the curtain that sectioned off the Holy of Holies was torn in two (27:51). Now everyone who puts their trust in Jesus has the Holy Spirit of God living in them. We don’t need a tabernacle anymore—we can march right into God’s presence anytime (Hebrews 4:14-16). • Kristen Merrill

• In what ways do you need guidance today? Consider taking a moment to talk to God about this.

Your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you… 1 Corinthians 6:19 (NIV)