“He
took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor
the pillar of fire by night, from before the people” (Exodus
13:22 KJV).
If
you peer out my bedroom window after dark, you might glimpse a faint glow
coming from another window somewhere in Canada. My husband noticed first; he
said you have to stand in just the right spot to see that little light.
The
Israelites, on the other hand, could easily see the pillar of fire that led
them by night. That miraculous light showed them where to go while they trudged
through the dark desert. And by day, God provided a cloud to guide them. He
gave His people everything they needed, both night and day. Such miracles must
have dazzled the Israelites. Yet every day we can delight in God’s providence
as He meets our needs.
One
summer my husband and I tried in vain to buy firewood. We had a cookstove at
the time—our primary way to heat food, water, and our home. But nobody we
called had firewood available, only long waiting lists. I fretted about what we
would do.
A
wildfire of worry roared in my mind, even during a wedding reception I
attended. At some point I ended up talking with a friend who had, I discovered,
bought a piece of property near the road I lived on. Heart pounding, I asked,
“Will you need to clear some of the land?” She and her husband did plan to, so
that they could build a house. I resisted the urge to jump up and down. Instead
I asked, “Do you think you might sell some of the trees you cut?” That also
turned out to be their plan—and they charged much less for firewood than what
we normally would have paid.
Because
of God’s providence, we stayed warm all winter long. Why had I worried? When I
remember to view circumstances in light of His promises, I can see that God
will never fail to meet the needs of His children.
