Wisdom and Presence

“So it was continuously; the cloud would cover it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. Whenever the cloud was lifted from over the tent, afterward the sons of Israel would then set out; and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the sons of Israel would camp. At the command of the LORD the sons of Israel would set out, and at the command of the LORD they would camp; as long as the cloud settled over the tabernacle, they remained camped.” Numbers 9: 16-18

“The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old…Then I was beside Him, as a master workman; And I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him, rejoicing in the world, His earth, and having my delight in the human race.” Proverbs 4: 22, 30-31

Today I read this first passage and mused on the mystery of it. God’s tangible presence—either as a fire or a cloud— rested on the tabernacle as a sign that the Israelites were supposed to set up camp and stay awhile. How long? No one knew, and it wouldn’t be until the cloud would lift that they would know it was time to start packing up the camp. It seems that it could be as short as two days and as long as a year—time and schedule are not the driving force or theme of this story. Rather, it is the people living with God as their provider and leader. For what reasons would God decide to move the people on? Did the people ever try to analyze the situation and guess as to different factors? I was struck by the mystery of this, and the wholehearted trust that would require the people to live moment by moment, ready to stay or leave with short notice.

Later, on my morning walk, I listened to a passage on wisdom, personified in the above Proverbs passage. Wisdom hovers with God over creation, delighting in God’s world. God’s wisdom can also be quite mysterious—sometimes it might seem to counter logic or common sense. If all the resources of a campsite are used up, isn’t it time to move on? If the Presence hasn’t lifted, then the answer is ‘No,’ despite the visible circumstances.

Dwelling with God requires attentiveness to his daily guidance, a recognition of the gap between God’s wisdom and my understanding, an embrace of the mystery of these intertwined three—presence, wisdom, guidance. Wisdom is both God’s presence dwelling on the tabernacle, and the removal of the presence, indicating the need to pack up camp. Seeking wisdom is something we are encouraged to do, and God gives it to us both as a gift and also something to foster through a life orientated and open to God’s presence.

The ‘felt’ presence of God is something many of us long for—but it is something that we can neither control, conjure, nor predict. From across the ocean, I have been so moved by the reports of what they are calling the ‘Outpouring‘ at Asbury University. God’s presence suddenly resting on a physical space—confirmation of the Spirit within us and also a foretaste for when God’s tangible presence will dwell with us continually in our material space. Miroslav Volf refers to this in his new book as the time when the a new world becomes the ‘The Home of God.’

I’m not spending much time reading analysis or others’ thoughts on the ‘Outpouring’. Rather, I am allowing myself to be filled with hope at the reports of the students attentively feasting on God’s presence. When the cloud will lift, no one knows. As it is, Asbury is bringing to an end the open door policy for the campus—it seems that the leadership is seeking wisdom about how to live with this fresh experience of God’s presence. The wisdom of God that hovers over the campus, delighting in God’s people, will also guide the students to discern the next steps on their journey.