God Is With UsНамуна

God was with the people of Israel

“And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.” (Exodus 13:21 ESV)

The Lord God chose Israel as His special people. He freed them from Egypt, where they had been treated as slaves. The journey from Egypt to their new land, Canaan, was not easy. It was difficult to find enough food and drink for an entire people along the way, and they were vulnerable to enemy attacks. Moreover, the journey took a long time because the Lord God gave all kinds of instructions and laws along the way. (And in the end, it took much longer still because the Israelites were disobedient.)

God went with them on this journey. “The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.” (Exodus 13:21 ESV) But time and again, the Israelites grumbled or failed to obey God's commandments. At one point, they even made a golden calf that they worshipped and revered. This made God so angry that He said they should be led by an angel from then on. But that was unthinkable for their leader, Moses. He did not dare to set out if the Lord Himself did not go with them! How could that ever turn out well?! Fortunately, God listened to Moses' prayer and went with the people after all.

Is God's presence important to you too? How and why?