Let's talk about it.
What if the greatest problem in our lives isn't that we have too little time for God?
What if the problem is that 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲?
We still pray.
We still worship.
We still read our Bibles.
We still go to church.
We still serve.
But somewhere along the way, God becomes something we fit into our lives rather than the One around whom our lives are built.
And Numbers 1 gives us a picture that we should not miss.
When Israel was in the wilderness, God gave Moses specific instructions concerning the tabernacle.
The Levites were to camp around it.
And the rest of Israel was to camp according to their tribes and standards.
Why?
Because the tabernacle—the place representing God's dwelling among His people was at the center.
Israel's camp was not randomly arranged.
Their lives were literally organized around the presence of God.
The Lord said:
“𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘆...” (v53)
Think about the picture.
The tabernacle was in the middle.
The Levites surrounded it.
The tribes surrounded them.
𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗼𝗱'𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.
That was more than an arrangement of tents.
It was a picture of how God's people were meant to live.
God was not supposed to be somewhere on the edge of Israel's life.
He was not an afterthought.
He was not something they visited when they had time.
𝗛𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿.
And perhaps that is where we need to stop and look at our own lives.
Because whatever sits at the center of your life will eventually determine the direction of everything around it.
If comfort is at the center, your decisions will revolve around comfort.
If money is at the center, your life will revolve around gaining and protecting it.
If approval is at the center, your peace will depend on what people think of you.
If success is at the center, your worth will rise and fall with your achievements.
Even ministry can become the center.
Even family can become the center.
Even good things can take the place that belongs to God.
When God is no longer at the center, everything else slowly begins to take a place it was never meant to occupy.
Israel's arrangement in Numbers reminds us of something we often forget:
God was not meant to be placed somewhere within the arrangement of our lives. He is meant to be the center around which our entire lives are ordered.
But here's where the gospel becomes beautiful.
God didn't merely tell Israel to arrange their camp around His presence.
𝗛𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺.
And then, centuries later, something even greater happened.
John 1:14 says:
“𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝘄𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀.”
The God who dwelt among Israel in the tabernacle came near to us in Jesus.
Christ entered our wilderness.
He came into our brokenness.
He came into our disorder.
And He came not merely to become part of our lives,
but to become the center of them.
God can be in our lives without being at the center of our lives.
You can give Him an hour on Sabbath and still organize the rest of your week around yourself.
You can pray to Him and still make every major decision without Him.
You can serve Him and still build your identity around something else.
You can carry His Word and still arrange your life around your own desires.
So today, don't simply ask:
“Where is God in my life?”
Ask:
“What is my life arranged around?”
What sits at the center?
What determines my priorities?
What controls my decisions?
What gives me my sense of worth?
Because whatever is at the center will eventually shape everything around it.
Israel had a center.
And that center was the dwelling place of God.
We have Christ.
So let Him be more than a part of your life.
Let Him be the One your life revolves around.
Not in the background.
Not on the edge.
Not when you have time.
𝗔𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿.
Because when Christ is at the center,
everything else can finally find its proper place.
What if the greatest problem in our lives isn't that we have too little time for God?
What if the problem is that 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲?
We still pray.
We still worship.
We still read our Bibles.
We still go to church.
We still serve.
But somewhere along the way, God becomes something we fit into our lives rather than the One around whom our lives are built.
And Numbers 1 gives us a picture that we should not miss.
When Israel was in the wilderness, God gave Moses specific instructions concerning the tabernacle.
The Levites were to camp around it.
And the rest of Israel was to camp according to their tribes and standards.
Why?
Because the tabernacle—the place representing God's dwelling among His people was at the center.
Israel's camp was not randomly arranged.
Their lives were literally organized around the presence of God.
The Lord said:
“𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘆...” (v53)
Think about the picture.
The tabernacle was in the middle.
The Levites surrounded it.
The tribes surrounded them.
𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗼𝗱'𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.
That was more than an arrangement of tents.
It was a picture of how God's people were meant to live.
God was not supposed to be somewhere on the edge of Israel's life.
He was not an afterthought.
He was not something they visited when they had time.
𝗛𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿.
And perhaps that is where we need to stop and look at our own lives.
Because whatever sits at the center of your life will eventually determine the direction of everything around it.
If comfort is at the center, your decisions will revolve around comfort.
If money is at the center, your life will revolve around gaining and protecting it.
If approval is at the center, your peace will depend on what people think of you.
If success is at the center, your worth will rise and fall with your achievements.
Even ministry can become the center.
Even family can become the center.
Even good things can take the place that belongs to God.
When God is no longer at the center, everything else slowly begins to take a place it was never meant to occupy.
Israel's arrangement in Numbers reminds us of something we often forget:
God was not meant to be placed somewhere within the arrangement of our lives. He is meant to be the center around which our entire lives are ordered.
But here's where the gospel becomes beautiful.
God didn't merely tell Israel to arrange their camp around His presence.
𝗛𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺.
And then, centuries later, something even greater happened.
John 1:14 says:
“𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝘄𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀.”
The God who dwelt among Israel in the tabernacle came near to us in Jesus.
Christ entered our wilderness.
He came into our brokenness.
He came into our disorder.
And He came not merely to become part of our lives,
but to become the center of them.
God can be in our lives without being at the center of our lives.
You can give Him an hour on Sabbath and still organize the rest of your week around yourself.
You can pray to Him and still make every major decision without Him.
You can serve Him and still build your identity around something else.
You can carry His Word and still arrange your life around your own desires.
So today, don't simply ask:
“Where is God in my life?”
Ask:
“What is my life arranged around?”
What sits at the center?
What determines my priorities?
What controls my decisions?
What gives me my sense of worth?
Because whatever is at the center will eventually shape everything around it.
Israel had a center.
And that center was the dwelling place of God.
We have Christ.
So let Him be more than a part of your life.
Let Him be the One your life revolves around.
Not in the background.
Not on the edge.
Not when you have time.
𝗔𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿.
Because when Christ is at the center,
everything else can finally find its proper place.
Let's talk about it.
What if the greatest problem in our lives isn't that we have too little time for God?
What if the problem is that 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲?
We still pray.
We still worship.
We still read our Bibles.
We still go to church.
We still serve.
But somewhere along the way, God becomes something we fit into our lives rather than the One around whom our lives are built.
And Numbers 1 gives us a picture that we should not miss.
When Israel was in the wilderness, God gave Moses specific instructions concerning the tabernacle.
The Levites were to camp around it.
And the rest of Israel was to camp according to their tribes and standards.
Why?
Because the tabernacle—the place representing God's dwelling among His people was at the center.
Israel's camp was not randomly arranged.
Their lives were literally organized around the presence of God.
The Lord said:
“𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘆...” (v53)
Think about the picture.
The tabernacle was in the middle.
The Levites surrounded it.
The tribes surrounded them.
𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗼𝗱'𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.
That was more than an arrangement of tents.
It was a picture of how God's people were meant to live.
God was not supposed to be somewhere on the edge of Israel's life.
He was not an afterthought.
He was not something they visited when they had time.
𝗛𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿.
And perhaps that is where we need to stop and look at our own lives.
Because whatever sits at the center of your life will eventually determine the direction of everything around it.
If comfort is at the center, your decisions will revolve around comfort.
If money is at the center, your life will revolve around gaining and protecting it.
If approval is at the center, your peace will depend on what people think of you.
If success is at the center, your worth will rise and fall with your achievements.
Even ministry can become the center.
Even family can become the center.
Even good things can take the place that belongs to God.
When God is no longer at the center, everything else slowly begins to take a place it was never meant to occupy.
Israel's arrangement in Numbers reminds us of something we often forget:
God was not meant to be placed somewhere within the arrangement of our lives. He is meant to be the center around which our entire lives are ordered.
But here's where the gospel becomes beautiful.
God didn't merely tell Israel to arrange their camp around His presence.
𝗛𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺.
And then, centuries later, something even greater happened.
John 1:14 says:
“𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝘄𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀.”
The God who dwelt among Israel in the tabernacle came near to us in Jesus.
Christ entered our wilderness.
He came into our brokenness.
He came into our disorder.
And He came not merely to become part of our lives,
but to become the center of them.
God can be in our lives without being at the center of our lives.
You can give Him an hour on Sabbath and still organize the rest of your week around yourself.
You can pray to Him and still make every major decision without Him.
You can serve Him and still build your identity around something else.
You can carry His Word and still arrange your life around your own desires.
So today, don't simply ask:
“Where is God in my life?”
Ask:
“What is my life arranged around?”
What sits at the center?
What determines my priorities?
What controls my decisions?
What gives me my sense of worth?
Because whatever is at the center will eventually shape everything around it.
Israel had a center.
And that center was the dwelling place of God.
We have Christ.
So let Him be more than a part of your life.
Let Him be the One your life revolves around.
Not in the background.
Not on the edge.
Not when you have time.
𝗔𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿.
Because when Christ is at the center,
everything else can finally find its proper place.
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