Numbers 9:18-19 — At the commandment of the Lord the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the Lord they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents. And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord, and journeyed not.

I know I keep saying that you shouldn’t play favorites with parts of the Bible, but almost every day I’m reminded of my love for one passage or another. Today it was the book called “Numbers”. (The Hebrew name is bemidbar — “in the desert”, a great description of the action.)
Numbers is full of wonderful insights into God’s character, and advice about how to live. Take the passage above — it carries a vital lesson.
Many of us struggle, day-to-day, with discerning God’s will. But He’s usually providing some pretty clear guidance if we will look for them.
The Israelites had the clearest possible signal — when the cloud covered the tabernacle it was time to hurry up and wait … And when the cloud moved, it was time to hit the road.
There was something else about the Israelites and God’s will in the desert. The Israelis were obedient — when the cloud moved, they moved. When the cloud stopped, they stopped.
Moses was a great leader, and the Israelites took his word when he told them that the cloud was God’s sign. But Moses was wise enough to know that God provides guidance in more than one way. In an earlier instance (Exodus 18) we read of him taking the advice of his father-in-law Jethro over the appointment of Judges and in the desert (Numbers 10:31) He was anxious to have the knowledge of the desert of his brother-in-law Hobab: “Leave me not,” he said to him, “forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness”. There’s another lesson about God’s revelation of His will. As well as signs, He provides wise advisors — and we should listen.
There is another lesson hidden in this passage. It is the lesson of patience. Very often we feel stuck in God’s waiting room, and succumb to the temptation to move before the cloud lifts. About this the JFB commentary says:

A desert life has its attractions, and constant movements create a passionate love of change. Many incidents show that the Israelites had strongly imbibed this nomad habit and were desirous of hastening to Canaan. But still the phases of the cloud indicated the command of God: and whatsoever irksomeness they might have felt in remaining long stationary in camp, “when the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle many days, they kept the charge of the Lord, and journeyed not.”

That’s the necessary restraint we need to show … Wait for the sign — and then go.