After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. 21 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. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

One missionary, when asked the key to his success, answered in this way, ‘I just watch what God is doing, and I go and join Him!’

If we are to ‘watch what God is doing’, we mustn’t get ahead of Him.

It seems to me that a key principle of guidance found here is to be able to see where God is going, and what He is doing, and for this to be the case we mustn’t get out in front of Him.

We may feel that it would, at times, be easier to know what to do if we also could see “a pillar of cloud” and “pillar of fire”. Yet God has His ways of making His will clear to His people today.

Thought: ‘Do not ask God to guide your footsteps if you’re not willing to move your feet.’