ON THE VANGUARD

IN NEED OF DIRECTION
"After leaving Succoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people."
Exodus 13:20-22

Many of the traits I have come from my dad, such as the ability to plan ahead, a love for history, and a sense of navigation. He is the one who got me hooked on maps. I know it seems strange to some, but I can spend hours just looking at an atlas and plan the perfect trip that I may never take. I can tell you an estimate of how long it will take to drive somewhere, and what possible landmarks you may pass along the way. I owe this weird ability to my dad, who I would watch growing up just sitting with a map on the couch.
In a similar way, the people of Israel had the same opportunity. After Moses had brought the people out of Egypt and they began their journey to the promised land, God chose to make the way clear. The people followed Moses in the direction he took them, sometimes happily and sometimes grumbling, but nevertheless they did reach their destination. But God chose to give a sign that no one could mistake. He provided a cloud during the day and a fire at night. He provided for the Israelites and all those who watched them a clear sign of guidance.
I know in my own life that there are times when I wonder if I am on the right road. I make a decision and hope I have made the right one. A few years back I started grad school and after a few online sessions I stopped. I don't know if the right decision was to stop, or to go in the first place. But I do this...that in the whole process I had God's peace and I saw His provision. Maybe in some brief way that is what the Israelites felt also. They knew they were coming out of slavery, and they knew that God was leading them into THEIR land and they would have to take it by force, yet God was with them. The cloud and the fire were a representation that they were in His hands.
Maybe you're like me, and you like to read maps. Maybe you're not. It is not a right or wrong thing. But what really matters is are we allowing God to lead us to the final destination. Are we looking for His guiding hand, just like the Israelites looked for the cloud and the fire? The passage tells us that the cloud and fire never left their place in the front. If God is unchanging, then that must mean that God will never deny us His leading also. The challenge is are we looking backwards wondering where we are, or are we focused on what is ahead and watching the direction He leads us? God never let the Israelites down, and He won't let us down either.