Guiding light

It’s a cold morning to be lying, face up, on a gravel parking lot. And yes, I’ll grant that it’s an odd thing to do.  But on my walk this morning, I want to visualize a concept that has been in my head since I finished my study of Exodus.  And this is the closest I can come to it.

Here is the passage that inspired me:

Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys. (Exodus 40:36–38)

God’s presence, shaped as a cloud (or pillar in many other passages), remained over the tabernacle.  Visible to all, it was the original GPS: call it God’s Presence, Shepherding.  For like a shepherd, he would lead his people to greener pastures.

I’ve been thinking, Wouldn’t it be great to have God guide us like that?  An image popped into my mind of each of us with a miniature pillar of light streaming up from our heads.  It would initiate, we would trail behind.  Kind of like an anti-shadow.

Alas, there are no upward beams of light for me to stand in front of today.  My spray-painted, gravel line above will have to stand in.

I have some Christian friends who get very clear directions from God.  They are told specific details about where to go and what to do.  I struggle with incredulity when I hear those stories, but I am intrigued.  And I can’t argue with the powerful connection they feel to the Lord.  He is active in their lives.

I would guess for most of us, God’s instructions for our daily activities are less clear.

It’s like this photo of that gravel line.  In the distance, we have a clear sense of where we, as God’s children, ought to be.  But up close, daily decisions and choices feel disconnected.  Isolated.  Granular.  Do all these bits actually get us someplace?

You know how, sometimes, a familiar concept in Scripture will leap out and grab you?  I had this happen recently, reading John 15:9.  Jesus commands his disciples to “Remain in my love.”  It struck me anew that at the heart of everything that we are to do in life is the love of Jesus.

Through all the crazy, hard decisions.  Through all the setbacks and victories.  Through a lifetime of tiny actions that we hope will add up to something.  With every step, we are to remain in His love for us.

For he promises to remain with us.  We are not solitary walkers.  And because of his presence with us through the Holy Spirit, we really do have our own pillars of glory, linking us to the Father above.

There’s hope in the end of Exodus.  The presence of God with his people anticipates the future blessing of reaching the Promised Land. 

We have that same hope.  He’s guiding to us a glorious future.

Thank you, Great Shepherd, that you abide in us, guiding us toward your coming Kingdom.  We want a clear connection with you every day.  Help us to hear your voice in your Word and in the inner voice of your Spirit.  We will follow where you lead!

Reader – I’m curious: how does God direct you?  Is it through Scripture alone, or also through that inner voice?  Feel free to share your experience with me.