They were in the desert.
They had just left the comforts of everything they had ever known.
God knew they needed freedom, a fresh start and a new beginning, so He led them to a place that required dedication, determination, trust and faith. And you know what? He showed up.
He provided clouds by day to guide their way.
He provided pillars of fire to light their nights.
He rained down manna from heaven as their daily bread.
And He gave words of direction to draw them into closer places of dependence on Him.
Which is why this story is such an encouragement to each one of us.
Desert places are hard, but we must remember that He does show up.
When everything around us feels uncomfortable and out of control, we must not focus on how we feel in the moment. We must use each moment to look for the clouds, the pillars of fire, the manna and the words of direction.
It’s not a question of whether He’s there for us or not.
The question is: What are you noticing in your hard moments?
”God went ahead of them in a Pillar of Cloud during the day to guide them on the way, and at night in a Pillar of Fire to give them light; thus they could travel both day and night. The Pillar of Cloud by day and the Pillar of Fire by night never left the people.” —Exodus 13:21-22
