We just concluded our Annual Cornerstone Family Camp last week in Johor Bahru, and personally, I think it’s one of the key highlights of the year for us as a church.
Like many other Covid-caused disruptions, it’s been three long years since we last had a church camp. To say that we’ve all missed meeting like this with all the physical and spiritual food and bonding is truly understating.
But the sweet cherry on the cake? The Presence of God dwelling in the midst of His people, like when the Children of Israel were led by the cloud of glory in the wilderness (Exodus 40:34-38).
The cloud of glory conceals the Shechinah, the Dwelling Presence of the Lord. The same cloud led Israel in the wilderness, descended on Mount Sinai, and settled upon the Tabernacle. God’s glory appeared to the Israelites in Egypt to guide them to the Promised Land. They moved when the cloud moved.
In Scriptures, clouds are always associated with God’s nearness. During their wilderness wanderings, the Israelites recognised the Lord in the cloud, as He spoke from it (Exodus 19:9), guided with it (Exodus 13:21) and revealed His glory through it (Exodus 16:10). And in the New Testament, God drew near to the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration in a cloud.
What does this cloud of glory look like? It looks like Jesus, as He appears in lives being transformed by the Spirit.
Today, we no longer have a visible cloud to lead us along the path set out for us as believers. But we do have the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us. As long as we follow His leadings, we can be assured of good success in whatever we set out to do.
After Jesus gave His disciples the Great Commission, we read that ‘He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight’ (Acts 1:9).
As the disciples stood there, gazing after the Lord, two angels appeared and told them, “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven” (vs 11).
A cloud was mentioned at His ascension, and clouds are mentioned at His return. Revelation 1:7 says, ‘Look, He is coming with the clouds,’ and ‘every eye will see Him…’
Let’s keep our eyes on Jesus and follow the cloud; forward, inward and upward.
