To Guide & Protect

shoutout to Joseph Barrientos / Unsplash for the image.

Then the angel of God, who had been travelling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other; so neither went near the other all night long.

Exodus 14:19‭-‬20

As I was reading Exodus today, the chapter where God parted the red sea, these two verses stood out to me, I found them to be so powerful and beautiful! The tenderness of God, how careful He is with His plans to protect us. 

The angel of the Lord was guiding the people in front of them, but the angel of the Lord also withdrew to protect them by going behind them. How profound is that for our lives!! 

You can't see the angel behind you, it doesn't mean he's not there.

Have you ever felt that happening to you? That God is guiding your steps, you can see Him in front of you calling you forward to the place of His promise, but some seasons in your life you don't see Him in front of you guiding your steps, calling your name, showing you the way, you don't feel that you're being guided by God anymore, and you wonder: Did God forsake me? Did He forget about me and about His promise? But the reason He withdrew, is for your good. To protect your life. your heart. your soul. Your future.

He's not just a God who guides, He's a God that protects so that nothing will harm or destroy you.

Trust His heart.

He won't always lead you through the easiest and shortest road, only God knows what you'd face, the things that would discourage your faith, sometimes He'll lead you through the longest path, so He can show you the greatest miracles, so you can be ready for battle, so you can be ready for victory, so you can grow in maturity and know the heart of your heavenly Father in a deep level of intimacy. for the place that this road is taking you has a blessing exclusively yours, but it needs you to be ready, prepared and forged by God.

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When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, ‘If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.’ So God led the people around by the desert road towards the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.

Exodus 13:17‭-‬18