Tag: God guides

God’s Guidance System

Old Testament: Numbers 9

Poetry: Job 8

New Testament: Acts 22

My college kids and I just completed a 2100 mile spring break trip with Apple Maps guiding the way – telling us when to turn, when to go straight and when to reroute. The Israelites preparing to set out into the wilderness missed out on this modern technology, but they had something so much better.

They had been camped out in the region of Sinai and it had now been two years since they had left Egypt. During this time they were learning God’s commands and learning what happens when you break them. Also, the tabernacle was being built and furnished and set up so God would have a dwelling amongst them, even during their coming travels to the Promised Land.

But, without maps (print or digital) how would they know where to go? I enjoyed what Kyle McClain had to say about their direction system in his March 4, 2021 devotion for SeekGrowLove, so I will share that here:

“Truth be told, there are a ton of events recorded in the Bible that would be flat out awesome to see firsthand!  Of all the awesome things to see, Numbers chapter 9 records one of the top 10 things that I would have liked to have witnessed firsthand – maybe top 5.  That awesome thing recorded is the pillar of fire that guided the Israelites where to go at night.  During the day, a pillar of cloud guided them, but at night it had the appearance of fire.  How cool would it be to see the pillar of fire in the sky at night?!  I would say top 10 throughout the whole Bible!  Our God is incredible, and he is capable of some awesome feats.

I don’t think many of us are going to be led by a pillar of cloud or fire.  However, similar to the Israelites, we can and should still be guided by God.  There’s a very good chance that the guidance that God provides you will not be as obvious as the pillar of cloud or fire.  Therefore, we really need to be in tune with God and keep our eyes, ears, heart, and mind open to His guidance.  There are a number of ways in which God can lead us, so we should be ready at all times.  If we are actively seeking God’s guidance, then we are much more likely to see it.  That has to do with our Reticular Activating System in our brains.  If you don’t know what that is, then look it up on Google or YouTube.  You’ll be amazed.

 I would encourage you all to pray to God to help you become susceptible to God’s guidance.  You may be surprised with all the ways that God attempts to guide you.”

Also in Numbers 9 we see Moses setting a great example of what to do when we are unsure of how to proceed and don’t know what God wants us to say or do. Some Israelites asked Moses if they were able to celebrate the Passover because they were unclean at the time (had recent contact with a dead body). Moses wasn’t sure. God hadn’t told him, yet. Instead of making up something on the spot that sounded smart at the time, Moses said, “Wait until I find out what the LORD commands concerning you” (Numbers 9:8). And God rewarded Moses’ wisdom by giving His answer.

What do you do when you don’t know where to go or when to go and when to stay? Seek direction from the Lord! When you don’t know the answer, like Moses, wait until you find out from the Lord. And what do you do as you wait? I do not recall any time I have received direction from God while I am watching the latest tv show or scrolling on my phone. However, I have lost count of the number of times I have received God’s direction while reading from His Word. His answers are there for your life, too. Faithfully stay in His Word, following His guidance system.

-Marcia Railton and Kyle McClain

Reflection Questions

  1. What do you do when you don’t know where or when God wants you to go or stay or say or do?
  2. When have you received God’s direction in your life? Did you follow it?
  3. What do we also learn from Paul in our Acts reading today about following God’s direction?
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The Long Way Around

Old Testament: Exodus 13 & 14

Poetry: Psalm 24

New Testament: Matthew 21:33-46

I love a good underdog story. And there aren’t many better than the slaves overcoming Pharaoh. 

There are SO MANY phrases that stick out to me as I am reading Exodus 13 & 14 that make this story stand out as a grand and glorious experience of what God can do and why it is worthy of being remembered. 

The Israelites have JUST left behind their lives as slaves. And God says – let’s remember this event, every year, in fact, for 7 days every year let’s celebrate my power and goodness and these events unfolding now. And why? So you and your future generations can be reminded “that the law of the Lord is to be on your lips; for with a powerful hand the Lord brought you out of…” (Exodus 13:9)?  What reminders and signs and symbols do you have on your calendar and in your home and in your life that remind you and the future generations to speak of God’s power and rescue and goodness? 

Do you ever get frustrated when the GPS sends you the long way around when you know the area just well enough to know there is a shorter way which is generally quicker? Or, maybe you can relate to when God doesn’t send the quick and easy answer you had in mind, but sends you on a completely different path in life, perhaps even through the desert. God did the same for the Israelites – for a very good reason. We don’t always get to see, hear or understand WHY the GPS sent us this way instead of that. Perhaps there was an accident ahead or a bridge out and so a better route was selected. Similarly, we don’t always get to see, hear and understand God’s reasoning on why He chooses which path to send us on. But in this particular case Moses writes that God knew the quickest route to the promised land would be through the Philistine country. But, he also knew they weren’t ready for war and if they faced war now they might get scared and return to Egypt. ”So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.” (Exodus 13:18). Can we trust that God knows best, even better than our GPS? He knows which road is best for you, too.

Even when it seems to end at the Sea.

Because, at the edge of the water God does some pretty amazing things! Well, actually, He doesn’t wait til we get to the edge. He was sending a pillar of cloud to guide them during the day and a pillar of fire to guide by night – that sounds like a pretty cool night light to follow. God was showing His protection and guidance, but can you imagine the fear they must have felt when they looked up and saw the Egyptians coming after them, as they were at the edge of the Sea. Terrifying fear that leads to anger and outrage directed toward Moses and the Lord. But Moses says, “Do not fear! Stand firm and see the salvation of the Lord that he will provide for you today; for the Egyptians that you see today you will never, ever see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you can be still.” (Exodus 14:13,14 NET). What fearful situations have we found ourselves in where our fear turns to anger toward God and men? Could it be God is telling us to stand firm to see how He will deliver us, save us, and fight for us? 

I love how it says the angel of God and the pillar of cloud which had been leading the way now moved to the rear, positioning themselves between the scared Israelites and the powerful Egyptians and all night the cloud brought darkness to the Egyptians and light to the Israelites. 

Now the stage is set and God acts – again – in a mighty way! He sends a strong east wind all night long. We’ve all seen some amazing and terrifying things wind has done. But this beats them all. A wind strong and long enough to drive the sea back and turn it into dry land, with a wall of water on the right and a wall of water on the left. Typically people don’t survive well in hurricane force winds that create walls of water. But on this miraculous night, the people, young and old as well as all their flocks and herds all walk across the sea on that dry land! Can you imagine the amazement and awe and dream-like experience that must have been! I wonder if it was difficult to walk upright? I wonder how wide the dry path was for the 600,000 men (and women and children)? I wonder if there were children on the edge of the dry path trying to run their fingers through the wall of water while their mothers were urging them ahead. I wonder what the Egyptians thought as they followed in their chariots, still in the dark. 

Exodus 14:24 says, “During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion.” Some versions say He made the wheels come off the chariots, others translate it that He jammed their wheels so driving the chariots was difficult. Either way, it seems to me a bit humorous – as long as I am not an Egyptian. We love to remember the God who saves His people – as long as we are one of His people. It would be wise for us to also remember He can and has and will frustrate and confuse the way of His enemies, and make sure we are not in that category. 

Don’t find yourself still in the dark – walking on the wrong side of His cloud of protection and guidance. God is providing light on the other side. Seek Him and what pleases Him. And Stand Firm and watch His salvation. 

-Marcia Railton

Reflection Questions

  1. In what ways have you seen God provide favor, protection, guidance and sometimes even miraculous intervention to save His people? 
  2. Is there a time God may have led you on the longer, indirect route to save you from an unknown pain on a shorter more direct route? 
  3. How will you seek to remember and share with future generations what God has done – both during the time of the Israelites and in your life as well? 

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Strive for FULL Restoration

2 Corinthians 13

Today we are looking at 2 Corinthians 13 and Paul is writing to the people of Corinth, even though he has already visited them twice but still they are unable to perform the will of God and be faithful righteous believers. In verse 11 Paul writes “Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice!…” We see that even though the Corinthians have all of these issues in their lives he calls them “brothers and sisters” because he loves them so very much that they are family to him.

“Strive for full restoration.” Paul wants us to be the best version of ourselves. I was just recently baptized and I have been working on restoring my relationship with God. As Kyle McClain said this past week at General Conference everything takes time, and the longer we go without praying and reading our Bible the farther we stray from God. Love God and trust in him and he will guide you. And closing with verse 14 – “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

God bless.

Thank you, 

Samuel Turner

This week we will get the pleasure of hearing from some new SeekGrowLove writers – and some not so new, too. Samuel is a high school student I enjoyed spending some time with at FUEL and General Conference. Thank you for writing, Samuel! Congratulations on your recent baptism! It will be fun watching God guide you as you continue seeking Him and striving for full restoration!

Today’s Bible reading passages can be read or listened to at BibleGateway here – 2 Corinthians 13 and Job 23-24

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