Exodus 13:21-22, "And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people."
The sublimity of God's wisdom is so fascinating and inexpressible. He has saved His people from decades of bondage and leading them to His dreamland, His rest for them. Yet being in this world they had to walk the roads and tread the deserts and wildernesses. And He was with them.
Deserts and wildernesses have a peculiar attribute: extremely cold at night and extremely hot in the day. But God's people had to travel and are not left at the mercy of these. He made unto them air conditioners in the form of pillar of clouds to shield them from the blazing sun and to keep them cool and at night, a fireplace was made-pillar of fire to keep them warm and protected. God's timely provision for His people.
Christians, like the Israelites, are pilgrims to the promised land and we are treading highways, mountains, valleys, wildernesses as well as deserts. Yet also not alone.
We want so many things and some of which we do not necessarily need but that which we need God provides and it is timely. He makes all things beautiful in His time (Eccl. 3:11). While God was providing daily meals for His people He also offers the comfort of living. There are times along our journey we feel we are being scorched by the sun and God's protection is unavailable but just because we feel that does not mean it is so. It only means to keep our gaze at Jesus again. Perhaps we took some things into our own hands.
Sometimes also the enemy comes with his seeming heat or cold but remember God is always there. "...when the enemy comes as a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him" ( Isa. 59:19). When the enemy came as the Red sea, God raised a standard...He parted the floods.
You may have reached your Red sea or walking through the fiery desert or treading the dangerous terrains of the wilderness but the God who will never leave you nor forsake you is true to His word and will not run from it.
He, our Father, is never too late nor too early. He is always right on time and always with us. As fire by night- to keep us warm and ward off enemies, cloud by day- to keep us cool and refreshed. When we take our eyes off the challenge and stare back at Christ we will see the Father, the God of timely provision.
