God's Leading
Scripture Reading — Exodus 13:17-22
By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud … and by night in a pillar of fire …
—Exodus 13:21
Many weather-related phenomena described in the Bible are supernatural. Perhaps the pillar of fire and cloud is the most famous of these.
When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, the Lord went ahead of them in the form of a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. This fiery cloud gave God’s people a sense of his guidance, closeness, and protection on their way to freedom through the desert. Later, when the Lord was preparing a path of escape through the Red Sea, the fiery cloud gave light to God’s people. But to the armies of Pharaoh it brought a terrifying darkness (Exodus 14:19-20).
Wouldn’t it be great to have a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire of our own? Something supernatural that would guide, comfort, and protect us? Actually the Scriptures teach us that today we are in a much better position than even the ancient Israelites were.
Just before Jesus ascended into heaven he gave us this great promise: “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Today he is with us in the Holy Spirit. His written Word, the Bible, directs and nourishes us.
Let’s humble ourselves before the Lord Jesus and trust in his leading. He will deliver us to freedom.
Lord, we pray that you will continually assure us of your care, love, and concern. Lead, comfort, and strengthen us in our walk of faith, we pray. Amen.
About the author — Sergei Sosedkin
Rev. Sergei Sosedkin is the Russian-language ministry leader for ReFrame Ministries. He is a native of Moscow, Russia. As he oversees the Russian-language ministry, Rev. Sosedkin works from our office in Grand Rapids and in various locations in Russia.
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