Deuteronomy 1:6-7 "The LORD our God said to us at Horeb, 'You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Break camp and advance...'" (NIV)

There comes a time on every trip to pack up. As nice as it is to go and spend time at our favourite spot, we can’t be in two places at one time. The boss wants us back at work, the kids go back to school, there are bills to pay and responsibilities to fulfill.

There is a sadness in packing up, especially if the trip was enjoyable. We know that in just a little while we’ll be back in the old routine. Even as we zip the suitcases and load the van, we are making mental "To Do" lists for when we get back.

I have found that packing provokes within me two responses. In the almost fifteen years that Jan and I have been married, we have lived in 7 different places and made many trips. Packing seems to make me either happy or sad. I’m sad to leave behind wonderful people and experiences. I once wrote a song which begins, "Its hard to drive with tears in your eyes..." Or, I’m happy because I’m anticipating new challenges and new experiences.

God said to Moses, "You have stayed long enough at this mountain." The mountain was a wonderful experience for Moses. He met directly with God to receive the covenant. While others could not even step foot on the holy mountain, Moses and a few select people, including Joshua, experienced the glory of the Lord in a way which no other humans have ever experienced. Upon coming down from the mountain, Moses had to put a veil over his face because it so radiated with the glory of the Lord that it frightened people (Ex. 34:29ff).

Did Moses find it tempting to remain at the foot of the mountain, thinking that this was a little patch of heaven? We can’t know, but I know how I’ve felt after a "mountain-top experience." I remember as a teen being at camp, and so feeling God’s presence that I didn’t want to leave. As an adult I’ve been to conferences where I’ve felt enfolded in God’s glory, and dreaded going home because I didn't want to leave this experience behind.

There was safety, security, and God’s presence where they were, but this was not where God was calling them to be. God had led them out of Egypt to go to the Promised Land in Canaan. Anything less would be short of the goal, and so they could not remain where they were and go with God at the same time. It was time to break camp.

Likewise, we cannot go with God and stay where we are. Now, I’m not saying that we all have to move. Don’t move unless you sense this from God (My church folks are probably wondering where this metaphor is going). No, what I’m saying is this. Sometimes its easier to stay in my life situation because its comfortable, and maybe I’ve even experienced God’s blessing in it. But my "promised land" is not behind me, nor is it where I am, even if life is good. My promised land is always ahead of me because I won’t actually reach it until I meet Jesus face to face.

Until that time when we meet Jesus, we need to be prepared for moments when God tells us to break camp in one way or another – that is, to move into a new area which takes us closer to our final promised land.

This is the tough part - I can’t tell what breaking camp might mean for you. It might mean taking a new position or leaving your present one. It might mean breaking the mental and spiritual barriers which prevent you from being content where you are. What about stepping out in courage to do something you’ve never done before? Does it mean leaving behind behaviour and lifestyle which doesn’t honour God?

Breaking camp is going to mean something different for you than it does for me, but the bottom line remains the same - we can’t stay where we are and go with God.

I hope this helps,

Be On Fire

Troy

ON FIRE is a weekly letter of encouragement by Troy Dennis. This letter published Mar 13, 2005.