Following the cloud - Transportable tabernacles

I was struck again today by the transportable and temporary nature of the Tabernacle, whilst reading Exodus 40.

The Tabernacle, the place of meeting with God, was designed and made so that it could be taken down and erected somewhere else. And it was designed that way by God.  It was not a permanent fixture, but a temporary fixture. The Temple which eventually replaced the Tabernacle didn't come into being until some 500 years later during the reign of Solomon, (although the idea began with his father David). But even then, the permanent construction of the Temple was not God's idea, in a sense.

In the last verses of chapter 40 it reads:
Now whenever the clound lifted from the Tabernacle and moved, the people of Israel would set out on their journey, following it. But if the cloud stayed, they would stay until it moved again. The cloud of the LORD rested on the Tabernacle during the day, and at night there was fire in the cloud so all the people of Israel could see it. This continued throughout all their journeys. (vv36-38)

It just makes me wonder at the idea of moving on, of following the cloud.  The idea is to be where God is, to set up camp, and then set it down again when God moves on.  The people of Israel were to follow God where he lead.

Massively important for me, do I follow God where he leads, do I want to be where he is?  Or am I content to build a building where I'm going to stay regardless of where God's heading?

Makes me think of what Jesus said as recorded in John 3:8:
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.