* Camping Standards

And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:  “Everyone of the children of Israel shall camp by his own standard, beside the emblems of his father’s house; they shall camp some distance from the tabernacle of meeting. 

Numbers 2:1-2 NKJV

In this passage, the Lord is clear about how He wants His people lined up. Each tribe to camp by its own standard - the banner that represents their lineage - the emblems of the father's house. You could tell by a glance who was supposed to be where and with whom.

It is a code of sorts that has carried down through the ages. Family crests, clan tartans, country flags, state flags, school flags, military regiment flags. You get the picture. Many of them are recognizable without definition. Whether it's honored or hated, everyone in the world knows the American flag. As children growing up in American schools, we pledged allegiance and lined up by the flag and all that it represents. 

I used to go camping as a Girl Scout. The only two things I liked about camping were singing around the campfire and making s'mores. Each group had a flag with a certain color and shape.  Invariably, the group I was in would wind up being the last tent. The one closest to the woods, far from the meeting house and all the campground lights. Ours would be the one the night critters - skunks and raccoons - would sometimes get in. I always wanted to pledge my allegiance to a different flag... one that was closer to the meeting house and the lights and the Leader.

In Isaiah 59:19b, the prophet proclaims, When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.  Do we know the Father's standard? Will we make our camp beside it? When He lifts it up, will we know where to run? What is our standard - pun intended?

Prayer:

Father,

         We want to make our dwelling place in Your camp and our allegiance only to You. We place ourselves under the protection of Your standard, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen