God’s Presence and Provision in the “In-Between” Times
Traditionally summer begins on Memorial Day and ends on Labor Day. School schedules have gradually been shifting over the years and the weather doesn’t always cooperate, but for most of us, summer is a time for vacations, pool time, and hanging out near the grill. It’s a time to reset, to rest, to reflect. It’s often a time to catch up on house projects or visit a lake home or grow things in a garden.
Summer is often seen as in-between time. It’s in-between the school years and life sometimes seems a little slower (or at least different). In-between times give us a chance to rest, to reflect upon life, and to reset our priorities.
The book of Numbers describes “in-between” time for the people of Israel. They have been enslaved in Egypt for seventy years. They have been brought out of slavery and miraculously rescued through the waters of the Red Sea. They have been given God’s law at Mt. Sinai and they have been promised a land of abundance. But they aren’t there yet. They are in the wilderness. They are in between Egypt and Canaan. What will they do? How will God provide for them?
How will God work out his plan for them? This summer, our Sunday bible study will direct our attention to the book of Numbers. More than a mind-numbing series of lists (and numbers), the book has many practical insights for how God’s people might live faithfully in in-between times. There are many familiar and a few unfamiliar stories that you may not have learned in Sunday School. Like all of the Scriptures, it also points us to Christ and the fulfillment of all of God’s promises.
Please plan to join us this summer as we explore “Hope in the Wilderness: Practical insights from the book of Numbers”. We meet in Room 125 at 9:25 a.m. on the summer Sundays.
The Lord bless you and keep you (Numbers 6:24)
Pastor Mark Schumm
