Guided by the Light

By Danny Saavedra

“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 (NIV)

When we think of the Exodus, we often picture freedom. We see plagues and parted waters and the dramatic moment God delivered His people from Egypt. But liberation was only the beginning. What happens after we’re free? Where do we go when the chains fall, but the road ahead feels uncertain? Israel didn’t just need release; they needed direction.

So, God led them . . . not from a distance, but up close. A pillar of cloud guided them by day; a pillar of fire led them by night. His presence wasn’t abstract or symbolic; it was visible, constant, and near. That light didn’t simply show them where to walk; it showed them they weren’t walking alone.

For forty years, through deserts, doubts, and detours, the Lord never removed His presence. The fire was their compass, their security, their warmth, and their comfort. The same God who freed them was faithful to guide them. Yet even with light before their eyes, they still wandered. They grumbled, built idols, and turned from the very One who rescued them. Their bodies were free, but their hearts were still in chains because they were still slaves to sin. This would go on for centuries because the Exodus wasn’t actually the end of the story. Every step through the wilderness was a foreshadowing of the greater deliverance to come.

Just as God once led His people through the night by fire, He later lit up the heavens with a star and guided two unique groups to Himself. One group was the Magi who came from the East. They were Gentiles, likely from Babylon, another Egypt in Israel’s history. The other group were shepherds. They were Jews, but they were poor and outcast, like the slaves their ancestors once were. Even though they provided the sacrifices for the temple, they weren’t allowed into the temple to worship.

Yet God called both by fiery light and angelic proclamation to witness His Son’s birth and to worship at His feet. In doing so, He declared that His redemption wasn’t just for one nation, but for all. He had come for Israel and for Egypt, for Babylon and Rome and Samaria and America and every nation on earth. He had come for male and female, slave and free, rich and poor . . . to make us one family, one people bearing His name forever.

And now, having freed us from slavery to sin, having saved us from death and hell, having adopted us as His children of light, God calls us to live as children of light (Ephesians 5:8). And when we do, when we follow after and live like Jesus, Philippians 2:15–16 (NIV) says we will be “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation” who will “shine among [others] like stars in the sky as [we] hold firmly to the word of life.”

Put It To Practice: Serve

Making service a daily habit can look like finding ways to love people around you simply, practically, and consistently. When you serve others, you’re also serving God! Today, practice service by offering a helping hand to a friend, roommate, family member, neighbor, or stranger!

For the Family

Today’s Main Idea: God doesn’t just guide us with His light; He calls us to carry it to others.

Ask Together:

1. How can our family be a light that guides others to Jesus this week?
2. How does God show you the right way to go or help you make good choices?

Prayer

Our Father in heaven, thank You for being the same God who led Your people through the wilderness and who now leads me by Your Spirit. You lit the sky for shepherds and wise men to find Jesus, and You’ve placed that same light within me. Help me to live as a child of light, to hold firmly to Your Word and to shine among others like a star in the sky for Your Kingdom and Your glory! In Jesus’ name. Amen.