Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.”
NL Daily Devotion for Thursday, October 7, 2021
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
There are times I wish God’s leading would be so clear. When I find myself wandering in a metaphorical wilderness, trying to figure out what my next action ought to be, or even where I ought to be going in a general sense, I would welcome a great pillar of cloud or fire pointing me in the right direction.
I have to admit, though, that when I actually look for God’s guidance and actively seek it, I generally find it—in the words of a friend, in an internal nudge, in a song on the radio or a piece of scripture. So it’s not that the pillar of cloud and fire aren’t there, it’s that I don’t really want to see them, in case they are leading me in a direction I don’t actually want to do. Because let’s face it, even though God led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, God led them into forty years of wandering in the wilderness. And, sure, the end result was completely worth it, but the journey required an awful lot of trust. And endurance. And willingness.
So. Let this be a reminder to me that God’s guidance is there if I seek it. And let it be a reminder that even if the journey doesn’t look the way I want it to, the destination is worth the trip.
Are there times I close my eyes and ears to God’s guidance? Why?