Everyone who has ever walked the earth is either a leader or a follower. Some are outgoing and have no problem taking charge. Others are waiting patiently for the signal to go. God gave us people with both types of personalities because a leader is no good without a follower, and a follower wanders around with no leader. We see this often in Scripture, but in Exodus it is evident God wanted a strong leader, and he wanted the multitude to follow. In Exodus, God’s people, the Israelites, were slaves in Egypt. They were captives for 400 years. At first, they were welcomed as guests, but each King gave them more work so they could not rise up against him. In 400 years, a lot happened, but none caught God by surprise. God was preparing a leader to lead His people. God leads His people out of Egypt under the direction of a man who grew up in the king’s palace. His name was Moses.
In Exodus 3:10, God tells Moses, “So now I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.” Moses used all kinds of excuses to try to convince God he could not lead, but God provided everything he needed. All Moses had to do was follow God.
Following God’s guidance requires patience. We must understand we are working on His timing, not ours. God’s people waited a long time to be released from slavery. We too get impatient when we can not see God working, but in God’s timing, pauses are not wasted time; they are intentional periods where God anchors us in His presence before the next leg of our journey. We must trust His timing. We don’t need to know all the details. We need to trust Him.
God led Moses and His people by a cloud by day and by a pillar of fire by night. This was His sign to them of His presence, and as long as they followed, they would be on the right path. Note, he did not give them directions and leave them to follow a map. He led them one day at a time. Each step forward was taken in direct relationship with Him. God does not lead us with a visible outward symbol, but with a better guide: the Holy Spirit who dwells within every believer. When we study His Word and pray, the Holy Spirit within us brings Scripture to our minds when we need it to make the right choices. In John 14:26, Jesus teaches us this truth about how God will lead us. The Holy Spirit will teach us and bring to remembrance what we have learned when we need it. Spoiler Alert -if you have not studied, there will be nothing to bring to your mind to help you. You do not gain help through osmosis.
John 14:26 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
When God was leading His people out of Egypt, there were anywhere from 2 to 3 million people. God made the cloud and fire visible to the entire body. Exodus 40:38 “For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.” God’s leadership brought unity and a shared direction to His people. When we follow Him as a body of believers, we have a shared direction and purpose.
Last night as I was trying to go to sleep, I was thinking of this time period in the lives of God’s people. I began to think of times in my life when a body of believers was together and pushing forward under God’s direction. People were being saved, and there was harmony among those in the church. We were in a mission church seeking to build a church God’s way. We were not trying to come up with better programs or outings. We were seeking out people where they were and showing them the love of Christ. I remember one spring when we had several teens we were taking to camp. Most did not have the money to go, and in a mission church there were not thousands of dollars lying around to take them. So, they began to work on different things. One big project was selling Krispy Kreme donuts door to door. It was hot, they were tired, but the result was a great lesson for us all. Those kids who worked together bonded; they were excited to be going to camp because they had given of themselves to help each other get there. Working together builds far greater relationships than playing together. We had a lot of youth activities, but the best thing we ever did to get them focused on others, not themselves, was teach them to work together.
Those young people are grown now with their own children, but they still talk about how hard it was at times to work together with patience to reach their goal. They trusted their leadership to steer them in the right direction. They did not stress over not having enough money; they were confident that if they worked and gave God the glory, there would be enough. They, like the children of Israel, could trust their leadership because God was the ultimate leader of what they were doing.
It is examination time. How can you focus more on seeking God’s leadership today instead of stressing over the entire roadmap of your future? Are you in a season of waiting? Is the cloud standing still? Be patient and continue in study and prayer until the cloud moves. Stay the course without grumbling or complaining. Those two sins stem from selfishness. We are sometimes like children who want a toy; they want it, and they want it now.
Today, thank God for leading you. Ask for patience to stand still when the cloud is still and to give you the courage to move when He opens the path before you. Today, seek His presence above all else, trusting that He will guide every step if you will follow
