The Center of Our Lives

Let all things be done decently and in order. I Corinthians 14:40 (KJV)

Number Chapter 2 talks about how the twelve tribes of Israel were to camp around the tabernacle of Moses. The tabernacle housed the presence of God, the Shekinah glory of God. God set a pattern for how the tribes we to be situated around the tabernacle, which was to be the heart of the camp.

Three tribes were camped on the East side, three on the West, three on the North, and three on the South. If you look at the number of the men in these tribes and how they were situated, the encampment formed the shape of a cross, with the base of the cross pointing East. The point I’d like to make is that our lives should center around God and His presence, and the access provided to us when Jesus died on the cross.

There is a God-ordained order to approaching God and to live in His presence. As we center our lives around Jesus Christ, there will be order in our lives and among the people of God. Our lives should take the shape of the cross. The cross is where we find the life of Christ. It is where we die to our own ill to do the will of God. We forsake all and take up our cross to follow Jesus. At the cross there is redemption, forgiveness of sins, healing, protection, and all the benefits of salvation. At the cross, there is unity of God’s people.

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. Matthew 16:24-25 (KJV)

As we center our lives on God and live according to the cross, we can all move on with Him. As He leads, we follow. In the same way that the Israelites broke camp and followed God, we must take up our cross and follow Him.

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts. Haggai 2:9 (KJV)

Even the furniture in the tabernacle are types of Jesus Christ. It’s order in the tabernacle was in the shape of a cross. As we embrace the cross and follow Christ, we will see the glory of God. In these last days, we will see even greater glory- as we all unify around Christ and His cross. As we find common ground around the cross, we will be unified and do things in God’s divine order. Then we will experience God in our midst.