"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
Last night the storms raged through Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, and continued moving northeast. The first alert I had of it came around 8pm, while I was at the bowling alley with my kids. They estimated it to hit my area between midnight and 2am, so already I knew I was in for a long night. With two children under 10, even the joke of a tornado sweeps fear into them. I did my best to put them to sleep before it came, but even with a high dose of prayer against fear, they both were afraid. I myself worked also to sleep, with the TV on and the weather radio at my side. Sure enough, the alert started to blare.
Once my children heard the alert they were wide eyed again. There we were, from about 1am to 2am, glued to the TV. We watched the weather casters track each piece of the storm, informing us of hooks and giving us best guesses of wind speeds. And with each new piece of data they did their best to be brave. Finally, I felt it was time to go ahead and bunker in the closet for a bit while the worst of the storm swept over our area. When the storm had passed and news of our area being clear of the climax was given, we came out and all went back to bed. The storm had been tracked and under the direction of the weather people we had done as we were told. Under the authority of God, however, we were kept safe from another potential disaster.
In a similar way, the people of Israel had the same opportunity of tracking weather and being in a place of safety under God’s authority. 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. Granted sometimes happily and sometimes grumbling, the Israelites nevertheless they did reach their destination. But God chose to give a sign that no one could mistake. So that there was no mistaking His path, God 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. They knew they were coming out of slavery. 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.
As I recall the tracking of this storm I am challenged in my own life. This up to date instrument that was being used to track the storm every 100 seconds made it easy to know right where the storm was, as opposed to having a five minute delay. That few minutes of difference was the benefit in the saving of lives. But the challenge to me is if I am following God that closely. Is my tracking of God delayed? I want be right there, up close and personal with what God is doing, and not waiting at the bus stop for a bus that has already left. I want to move with Him when He moves, and stop with Him when He stops. I want the cloud and fire to lead me instead of going by the seat of my pants. Yet unless I am following His patterns, I put myself in a place where I will miss the pattern. I do not want that for myself, nor for you. So then, let us glue ourselves to His patterns, moving when He moves and stopping when He stops. Let us follow Him.
Exodus 13:17 - 14:8
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