Newsletter September 2022 Part 1
Into His image
So they took their journey from Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people. (Exodus 12:20-22)
When the Israelites left Egypt, where they had been in bondage for almost 400 years, God led them on their way. In Moses, He had given them a leader to follow, but He wanted all of them to know that He Himself was showing the way. That is why He gave them a visible sign of His presence to follow: a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
As children of God today, we too have God’s presence in our lives. We may not follow a visible cloud that goes before us, but we have God’s Spirit to guide us. Just like God had a route planned for the Israelites to travel, He has a plan and purpose for us. He does not leave us to wander about blindly, hoping that somehow we will get where we should be. God directs our every step by His Spirit – but will we follow?
The Israelites had their doubts about God’s leading, when they reached the shore of the Red Sea. Having followed God’s cloud, they suddenly found themselves closed in with the Egyptians hard on their heels. What would have gone on in their minds? Why had God brought them to this place? Was His plan really to destroy them?
We too may be led by the Holy Spirit to a place in our lives where there seems to be no going further. We may begin to question: was it really God who led me here? Did I get it wrong? Or, even worse: does God not care about me? Has he led me to this place in my life to abandon me?
The Israelites asked these questions. They complained to Moses, saying it would have been better for them to stay in bondage rather than die in the wilderness (Exodus 14:11). Yet God knew what He was doing. Not long after, they watched from a place of safety, as God caused the water of the Red Sea to come crashing down on their pursuers, killing every one of them. God had led them to this place, not to destroy them, but their enemies. He always fights for His own, even if it may not seem so at the moment.
As Christians we can become discouraged when we turn our focus from God’s greater purpose to our immediate circumstances. However, as God was with the Israelites when He led them through the Red Sea and the wilderness, so He is also with us in every circumstance. As He brought them to Mount Horeb to make them into His special people, so He also wants to bring us into His presence. He is able to make all things work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are the called according to His purpose. He has predestined those whom He foreknew to be conformed to the image of His Son. (Romans 8:28-29)
God has our eternal destiny in mind, and therefore the shaping of our character is of greater significance than our immediate comfort. It is precisely through the trials we experience that we are refined. As we are tested in the fire of life’s adversities, the genuineness of our faith is revealed. (1 Peter 1:7)
Are you questioning God? Are you asking why He has brought you to the place you find yourself in? Do you doubt His love and His purpose for your life because things presently seem difficult? Well, think again. As long as we follow God’s leading, He will protect us and He will fight our battles. As long as we remain in His will and follow the leading of His Spirit, we will overcome by His power.
We may not always understand what God is doing, but if we trust in Him we will experience His loving presence and enter into His purpose, no matter what our circumstances seem to suggest. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14) Let us allow the Creator to shape us into the perfect image which He always intended for us – that image which was revealed in His Son Jesus Christ our Saviour when He took on human form. (Phil. 2:7)