God Leads

Exodus 13

When you are lost are maybe do not know where to go it is always nice when there are signs up so you can find your way. I am really impressed with the GPS navigations for cars. When I use it I find myself completely dependent upon it to tell me where to go. I even find myself responding to the computer voice as if we were having a conversation (how sad). If you take a wrong turn or make a stop along the way, the navigation can recalculate your destination for you. In todays chapter we will see that God leads his people with his own form of navigation, a pillar of cloud and of fire. If you know the story the people wonder around for 40 years in the wilderness because of their stubbornness. God just recalculated his directions for them and was there every step of the way. 

Feast of Unleavened Bread 

We have seen God’s mighty hand in the deliverance of his people. Egypt wanted the Hebrews out and now they are leaving. The last post was a little about the feast of the unleavened bread. This feast was now instituted for the future generations.  For more information refer back to yesterday’s post, the 4th of April. 

Pillar of Cloud and Fire

God did not lead the people the way of the land because the Philistines inhabited the land. God did not want them to be afraid of war and run back to Egypt. The Lord led the people by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. How cool would that be to say, “I don’t know where I am going but I am following God”? Someone probably would ask, “How do you know where God is leading you?” You could say, “Oh, he is leading with that pillar of cloud or fire that everyone could see.” God was showing himself to Israel again and again. It says that it was so they could travel by day and by night. Have you ever been on a road trip? How about with close to 2 million people? Do you know how long it would take to travel with 2 million people? It would take a long time, they also had their flocks with them. Animals tend to slow travelers down during this time. God made it so that they people could travel anytime. It also says in the last verse of chapter 13 that the pillar did not depart from the people. God did not leave the people to their own directions.

God wants us to follow after him. His way is safer, even though it is the road less traveled. He did not have the people go the way that the world was but in the wilderness. In this wilderness there will be great testing as well as God’s hand on a stubborn and rebellious people. We may not have a pillar of fire or a cloud to lead us every day to where God wants us to go but instead we have something even better, his word to us. God has given us the Bible for us so we can follow it and it will lead us in this life. The Bible will teach us and correct us and guide us (2nd Timothy 3:16-17). We like to trust other people, T.V. shows and even cartoon shows before we follow the Bible. How valuable is the Bible to you? When you follow the Bible God will direct your path and you will not regret it. It may be hard but it is worth it.