17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God didn’t lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, even though that was the shorter route. God thought, If the people have to fight and face war, they will run back to Egypt. 18 So God led the people by the roundabout way of the Reed Sea desert. The Israelites went up out of the land of Egypt ready for battle. 19 Moses took with him Joseph’s bones just as Joseph had made Israel’s sons promise when he said to them, “When God takes care of you, you must carry my bones out of here with you.” 20 They set out from Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. 21 The Lord went in front of them during the day in a column of cloud to guide them and at night in a column of lightning to give them light. This way they could travel during the day and at night. 22 The column of cloud during the day and the column of lightning at night never left its place in front of the people.
Reflection
Are you the type of person that likes to take the direct route or do you like to meander and take the back roads? I tend to just like to get where I am going and not really go off the main roads too much. Maybe when I have more down time, I will try that though. Our Dad used to avoid interstates and toll roads as much as possible. I went along when Joe moved into his freshman dorm at Virginia Tech. He took his car, so I rode with him. We took the interstate, but on the way home Dad said we could drive the whole way home on route 220. He was correct but it certainly wasn’t more efficient, even though it was more of a straight line, we were on a dirt road driving 25 miles per hour through a state park in West Virginia. It may have been beautiful, but I spent most of the time being carsick. I would definitely have opted for the interstates!
We read in our scripture that God decided to take the Israelites on a circuitous route to escape Egypt. According to the writer of Exodus, God knew that when things got hard and scary the Israelites would return to what they knew – even though their lives there were horrendous. God had them follow the cloud during the day and the lightning at night so they would have a map. We know how the story goes – they went by way of the Reed (Red) Sea and God opened a path for the Israelites, but the sea swallowed the Egyptians. God of course knew the plan and the path, and the Israelites had to trust God at that point to lead them in the right direction. What do we do when we ask God to help us and it feels like we are being led in a roundabout path? Do we give up and start over or go back to what we know even if it is what we are trying to change because as the saying goes “the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t”? Do we trust God even though we are scared? Do we ask for and look for signs or help when we are on our way or do we try to do it ourselves? You are probably thinking – yes, I want the pillar of cloud and the lights at night to show me something! How about a neon sign?! As we know, these can be improbable, but not impossible. Sometimes the answer or direction isn’t obvious, and sometimes we get a nudge to wait – maybe it’s not the right time. If that’s the case, we need to be alert for a sign when it is time to move on our plan. The key is allowing God to lead us and to be open to God’s timing.
by Janet Waryck
For Pondering and Prayer
Is there something in your life right now that you are thinking about changing? You may get carsick along the way, but trust that God will lead you along your path. Be sure to ask God and look for the signs you are getting.
Prayer: Dear God, please give us wisdom to allow you to lead us. Help us to look for your help in whatever form that comes. We thank you for your direction. Help us to give you all the praise, honor, and glory for your leading. Amen
