God’s leading

I think this one will be short and sweet today. 

There are three things that strike me about God’s leading in this passage.

First, he never leads us into situations greater than we can handle. 

It says in verse 17,

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter.

For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” (Exodus 13:17)

God knew that the Israelites would not be able to handle going through Philistine country, and so he led them another way. 

In the same way, no matter how bad things may get in our lives, God never lets us go through more than we can bear. 

One person put it this way, “Every trial we go through in our lives must first pass through the hands of God.” 

Or as Paul put it,

No temptation (trial) has seized you except what is common to man.

And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted (tested) beyond what you can bear.

But when you are tempted (tested), he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.  (1 Corinthians 10:13. Comments on the translation can be found here.)

Second, God’s leading is sure.  He always knows what he’s doing and where he’s leading us.  And because of that, we can count on him. 

Joseph surely knew this when he told his people,

God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place. (Exodus 13:19)

Finally, God is always ahead of us leading the way.  All we have to do is decide to follow him. 

I love the last part of this passage where it says,

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 13:21-22)

God is always ahead of us to give light to our path in life.

And whether we’re in times when things seem clear, or times when things seem dark and cloudy, God never leaves his place in front of us.