Follow-the-leader is an easy enough game to play when you are a little child. Your sole objective is to mimic the leader’s movements. With hyper-focused attention and a bit of nervous-giddy energy, you do as the leader does, and that’s how you win the game.
We get older, and sadly, following the leader becomes a little less straightforward and a lot harder to commit to—especially in our faith. Our objective to follow the leader of our lives—Jesus—wholeheartedly becomes muddied by mixed motives and hidden agendas. Our focus on the Holy Spirit’s leading in our lives is replaced by a myriad of distractions and an almost constant state of busyness. We begin to question whether or not imitating Jesus is the best use of our energy and time. Often, we find ourselves wanting to be the leader in our own lives, moving at our own pace and in the direction that seems most pleasurable and desirable to us.
After the Israelites were rescued from Egypt, they were faced with a new challenge as God’s chosen people. Would they follow the leader? Now that they were liberated from slavery, would they willingly follow the Lord’s guidance? Or would they go where they wanted to and move at their own preferred pace?
The Lord led His people through the wilderness as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. When the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they stayed put and camped out. When the cloud moved, they, too, moved. The cloud was never behind them but always before them (Numbers 9:15–23). They followed the leader, and He was with them.
It may not be a cloud leading us, but we, too, are faced with a similar challenge. Will we submit to the Lord’s direction and timing in our lives? Will we place Him ever before us—looking to the Holy Spirit as the navigator of our course and seeking His will above our own?
Today, through Jesus’s resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are no longer reliant on a physical cloud for guidance from the Lord. Rather, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, God’s presence is with us always. He leads and directs us through His Word, through Jesus (the Word made flesh), and through the prompting of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives.
Today, may you humbly submit to the Lord’s guidance in your life. May you actively seek Him above all else. May you praise Him for being a God who is with you, who never leaves you, and who makes a straight path for you. May you trust your today and your tomorrow to a God who is eager to lovingly guide you and provide for you.
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70 thoughts on "Guidance by the Cloud"
Today’s readings were such a wonderful lesson of patience and obedience. Recently I have been struggling to be patient and wait for God’s timing. I am so used to just doing what I want to do when I want to do it. But this time I am waiting for God to work in mine and my husband’s life. I know He will provide for us when the time is right but it can be so hard! Reading about how patient and obedient the Israelites were throughout their wilderness journey gives me so much hope and reassurance that I can do it too! I’m sending all of you so much love. I can’t begin to express in words how grateful I am for this marvelous community. I’m praying for you all ❤️
I have a praise report- thank you to everyone who had been praying for my GI issues, praise God they have been resolving slowly over many weeks. Official diagnosis post- infectious IBS. I still have some minor issues but nothing like the pain I was having 2+ months ago.
Praising the Lord with you❣️
PRAISE the LORD! What a blessing! ❤
Today’s reading and devotion really resonates with me. The way it reflects on the themes of guidance and obedience in my Christian journey. It draws parallels between the Israelites following the pillar of cloud in the wilderness and my own journey of following Jesus today. It reminds me of the importance of submitting to God’s direction and timing in my life, despite the temptation to lead myself. The analogy of the cloud leading the Israelites is a reminder of God’s constant presence and guidance for me today through the Holy Spirit.
Thanks be to God for always watching out for us and always being present with us.
Thank all of you wonderful women of faith here in the SRT community with me.
I ❤️ that God is always relentlessly pursuing us in spite of all our selfishness and busyness of our lives.
Many hugs and much love to you SHES!!
@Ryan if you are reading the comments about the website issues- After I leave a comment, then you have to keep going back to the daily outline, then come back, then click on comments again Not a big deal, but makes you not want to comment or you will loose your place in reading them.
Today;s scripture reminds me of two songs-“Lead Me” by Sanctus Real, and “Wait” by Maverick City. Wait- is a good one when you can’t seem to wait! lol. Lead Me- reminds me that I let God lead me in AlL things!
My pain group was really good today as we finished our study on Job, using the book “Be Patient” which really, really puts things in perspective of when we keep asking Why Lord, Why??? Why is this happening! His answer…Oh, you know better how to make it all work?! Um..no, no I don’t…(when you put that way!) If we were in charge life would be grand and no worries…and we would all be shallow and drunk…lol. Things happen all on God’s time table, HIS way, for His reasons. It made Job say…I am so sorry I thought I knew more than you…I should be humble, and be reverent of You the Omniscient God. The Great I AM. Lord. Jehovah Jireh. Thank you Lord that you are growing me close to you, just like Job, I want to KNOW you, not understand you, but to be close to you out of sheer love and reverence! Thank you for writing my story, the pain and the joy! Amen and Amen in Jesus name!!
Prayers for you all in your trials, wait, and joys!
The thing that stands out to me today is Ex 13:17. “God did not take them by the way of the Philistines because they would have been defeated by war and turned back to Egypt.” It was a short cut, something that would have taken lots less time, but God knew the short cut also lead to defeat. They would have been overcome by the giants, and would have lost all heart to move forward. I know I love a short cut, often look for the shortest way to get somewhere. How many times have I tried to take the short cut only to find it was not the best way? God knows that the short cut isn’t always the best way. He knows the lessons learned along the way is what really brings change, builds trust, grows me spiritually. I have to trust Him enough to know which way to take me, and I have to have enough patience to go the long way if that’s what God sees as best.
That’s good Kris!
I love this! So true.
Still struggling to read comments.. hope all are well..
Much love. ❤️
If only it was as easy as following a cloud. Oftentimes I struggle with discerning what is the Holy Spirit or my own desires, is Jesus telling me this or the world- It is all so grey! Lord I come to you today- lost in the wilderness wondering aimlessly. Guide my steps, dwell in my heart so that Your presence is felt and seen by all! Happy Tuesday She’s! ☮️❤️
Lead, oh Lord…
The Lord is so good to lead us. We just have to listen for His direction. Prayer, His Word, being still in His presence are all the things we can do to discern between what is good and what God has for us. But no matter where we are He is with us.
The days and nights are hard. Missing my husband with such intensity and aching. But…He is with me day and night and I cling to him like my children used to cling to me. Anytime I left them church, sitter, whatever- they’d grab any piece of me – my clothing my hair – anything to keep me close. That’s what I’m doing with my Savior in this devastating situation. Clinging as tightly as I can!!
Praying that you continuously feel the Lord’s presence through your grief journey. May His grace uphold and sustain you.
Mia, your clinging to the Lord is what you must do. Praying for you and for the Lord’s strength and comfort.
Continuing to pray for you. I can’t even begin to know how you feel, but He does. He sees you and loves you.
Funny, isn’t it, when we say to have a cloud hanging over us, ie something to happen, a future thing, an operation, or a court case, or a meeting with the boss, we twenty first century folk think worry, shocking, gloomy, upsetting or even unhappy.
When our judgement is clouded, we have difficulty understanding of remembering..
Oh, and don’t get me started on ‘casting a cloud’ over something..
And yet..
BUT GOD..
Here, is for the Lord’s people, the Israelites, His cloud was Him being close to them, guiding, always ahead.
A loving positive in the lives and journey of the Israelites..❤
Funny thing is, He has never stopped leading, guiding, directing and bringing us to the place, for us, that is safe, right and God ordained.
He has always had the very best interest of His people/children at heart, even when we have ‘clouds’ hanging over us or our ‘judgement is clouded’ or ‘a cloud is cast’ our something..
Through HIS Holy spirit in us, we do have His presence for always.
So very thankful, Lord God, for your presence every day in My life, from my waking to My sleeping you are there showing me the way, leading.. Praise you Lord God, and thank you for Jesus, by whose blood these things are made possible..
AMEN.
Happy Tuesday, dear hearts. Prayerful today is a good and God blessed day for you and yours..❤
I am struggling with this new format, (old school lady who doesn’t do change very well,) I’m sure I’ll get there.. Soooooooooon. That said, know that I am here praying and lifting my shed up in prayer as always in love, and covered in hugs..❤
MIA FAITH, not sure what happened there, so sorry you have my whole comment on your reply section. The wonders of this new format!
I just wanted to send you love and hugs so so covered in prayers, petitioning for peace of heart and the ache you feel to ease, and for you and yours to feel God’s loving arms and care envelope you..
Continued prayers Mia..❤
♥️ THIS!!! So timely.
Amen!
MY daddy knows best. I will trust Him. He knows my today and tomorrow. I will try not to worry (even though I sometimes do). My heart is encouraged and comforted this morning with the reminder that He is eager to lovingly guide and provide for ME!
I am thinking of all the times we moved with my husband’s job. We weren’t fleeing an enemy, but the goal was always to – as quickly as was prudent- get out of the old town with all of the goodbyes and good and bad memories and get to the new town and the fresh start we longed for – new friends and good neighbors. I can’t imagine sitting with our belongings or taking the long way there. I know that was God’s choice for them for good reason. Just trying to, like KELLY NEO, put myself in that moment.
This is the song that came to me with this reading:
Red Sea Road
Ellie Holcomb
We bury dreams
Lay them deep into the earth behind us
Said our goodbyes
At the grave but everything reminds us
God knows we ache
When He asks us to go on
How do we go on?
We will sing to our souls
We won’t bury our hope
Where He leads us to go
There’s a Red Sea road
When we can’t see the way
He will part the waves
And we’ll never walk alone
Down the Red Sea road
How can we trust
When You say You will deliver us
From all of this pain
That threatens to take over us
Well, this desert’s dry
But the ocean may consume
And we’re scared to follow You
Oh help us believe You are faithful, you’re faithful
When our hearts are breaking
You are faithful, You’re faithful
You’ll grant us eyes to see
You are faithful, You’re faithful
Teach us to sing
You are faithful, You’re faithful, You’re faithful
Songwriters: Nicole Witt, Christa Nichole Wells, Ellie Holcomb
Thanks so much h for sharing this song!! SOOO Good!!!
❤️
My notes from today.. also my first comment since the format change! Hoping it works/posts ok!!
Have a BLESSED day dear sisters!! Xoxo
Psalm 78:1-8 My people, hear My teaching;
listen to the words of My mouth.
2 I will open My mouth with a parable;
I will utter hidden things, things from of old—
3 things we have heard and known,
things our ancestors have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their descendants;
we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
his power, and the wonders he has done.
5 He decreed statutes for Jacob
and established the law in Israel,
which He commanded our ancestors
to teach their children,
6 so the next generation would know them,
even the children yet to be born,
and they in turn would tell their children.
7 Then they would put their trust in God
and would not forget His deeds
but would keep His commands.
8 They would not be like their ancestors—
a stubborn and rebellious generation,
whose hearts were not loyal to God,
whose spirits were not faithful to him.
*Amen!! Yes Lord!!! Help us do these things and make them LIVING in us!! Amen.
Exodus 13:19
*every time I read this verse I am completely blown away by the FAITH & trust of Joseph!!
Exodus 13:21-22
*love how this ties in with Numbers 9 and all spiritual applications it has!!!
Numbers 10:1-10
*the details, organization and precision of our God!! Wow!!! I love how the people listened and knew what the different trumpet calls were and that when they heard, they obeyed!! A definite image & example of what listening, KNOWING God and obeying His instruction looks like!! It also leaves an impression of the thoughtful protection He provides and gives!!
**also, while reading these verses I immediately thought of Jericho! Knowing the details of the trumpets, their different sounds and meanings, that they represented a lasting ordinance between God and the people and how obedience, faith and KNOWING God are intrinsically tied together gave a whole new depth of meaning and understanding!!! WOW!!!
Numbers 10:17
*A beautiful image & reminder that God is FIRST, He goes ahead and prepares the way!!
Numbers 10:21
*another awesome image & reminder that God is FIRST, He not only prepares the way but is set up and waiting for us!!! Wow! SO good!! Thank You God!!
**as I wrote out my notes for verses 17 & 21 two scriptures and a song were brought to mind.. all of which make my heart and spirit rejoice!! Thank You God!!
..scriptures:
Isaiah 25:6-9 Here on Mount Zion the Lord Almighty will prepare a banquet for all the nations of the world—a banquet of the richest food and the finest wine. 7 Here he will suddenly remove the cloud of sorrow that has been hanging over all the nations. 8 The Sovereign Lord will destroy death forever! He will wipe away the tears from everyone’s eyes and take away the disgrace his people have suffered throughout the world. The Lord himself has spoken.
9 When it happens, everyone will say, “He is our God! We have put our trust in him, and he has rescued us. He is the Lord! We have put our trust in him, and now we are happy and joyful because he has saved us.”
and
Song of Solomon 2:4 Let Him lead me to the banquet hall, and let His banner over me be love.
..song: “His Banner Over Me” by Kevin Prosch. Lyrics:
*He brought me to His banqueting table (echo)
He brought me to His banqueting table (echo)
And His banner over me is love
**I am my beloved’s and He is mine (echo)
Yes, I am my beloved’s and He is mine (echo)
And His banner over me is love
Yes His banner over me, over me, is love
***And we can feel the love
Of God in this place
We believe in Your goodness
We receive Your grace
We delight ourselves at Your table
Oh God, You do all things well
Just look at our lives.
I want so much to live my life like this – following God’s leading wherever He takes me. Listening to His voice – waiting, trusting, not rushing ahead. But sometimes I think it is so hard to discern His voice. How do I know? It seems like it was easier for the Israelites back then. I think, well if God were a big cloud leading me and all I had to do was follow, easy, right? Or if I heard an audible trumpet and knew it was God, I could do that? But then I wonder, was it that easy for them to discern that all of these things were God? Or were they tuned in better than I am? Were they shutting out the distractions better than I do? I know they got off track in the wilderness and stopped listening to God and went their own way. But was it because God stopped speaking or because they stopped listening? I feel in a bit of a wilderness right now with my daughter’s situation. I am struggling with thoughts of what to do next about the situation. Just wait on the Lord and do nothing? Or take action and try to repair the situation? I really need guidance right now, Lord, and an audible voice (or cloud, or trumpet) would be great! Help me to open my ears, my mind, my heart, to Your voice and Your leading. Amen
Maybe God just needs you to wait right now? I don’t know your situation, but I have found recently that God speaks and God moves when I step back, wait, and allow God to be God. When I try to take matters into my own hands, it backfires and God feels distant. I will be praying for you to hear his direction.
Your comments always resonate with me my friend!! It’s hard for us to know to act or wait! Prayers that God will make it clear for you! I can’t imagine b/c my son is in the world, but nothing that blatantly identifies either way, so it’s hard to know where he stands since he doesn’t make it apparent. But all that’s going on with our younger generation and their thoughts and beliefs drilled into them by the world…it’s hard to trust the Lord to bring them back. But that is his truth written. All in his timing..but does he want to use us in the process…???
Same.
Even though we are no longer reliant on a physical cloud for guidance from the Lord as Nicole Smithee mentioned… I will never look at clouds the same way again. Will you, sweet sisters?
Have a blessed day, friends!
just this morning i was complaining about the clouds and rain we have had the last couple days because i miss the sunshine, but after today’s reading i am thankful for a new perspective of clouds!!
I found this so encouraging today. I am in the middle of a waiting season and it is so easy to desire to rush God’s timing and try to do things my own way rather than trust His timing and seek Him above all else, but His timing is perfect and His will is better than anything I could imagine for myself! Praise God!
Exactly! I have been in a season of learning this. I have seen first hand how when I act on my own accord, life backfires. But, when I wait and let God move- literal magic happens. God’s magic. Things happen that can only be because I have a great, loving God.
His Spirit leads and guides us in Truth, shows us things to come, reminds us what Jesus said. He will never leave or forsake us. He is our Comfort and our Guide! Thank You, God for the Holy Spirit. May I ever listen and obey!
This spoke to me so much this morning. Yesterday was the funeral for my uncle Bernie. My dad preached the message, knowing there were a few family members who needed a powerful message since they are not believers. He spoke of how his brother did not fully and publicly profess his faith until he was 65, although did attend church his entire life. How he believed in Jesus as Savior, but was not willing to submit to him as Lord. He had to let God lead him rather than be the leader of his own life. How often do I also life like I’m the leader of my own life? Daily submission to the leading of the Holy Spirit is necessary to live fully for the Lord.
Today’s song memory comes from Numbers 10:35 – a chorus we sang many times … Let God arise, and His enemies be scattered, let God …
KIMBERLY Z – praying for your and your family
VICTORIA E – good results, praise Him!
TAYLOR G- praying for continued recovery for your son
MIA FAITH – continuing to pray
RHONDA J – agree that talking with family is more difficult. Maybe it’s because they knew me before I knew Christ … I remind them that I have repented and been forgiven.
CEE GEE ❤️
Prayer request- friend having his 2nd hip replacement today.
❤ praying for your friend’s surgery/recovery!
@searching…thank you!! Praying along with you for the requests and your friends hip surgery!
This blog came at God’s divine time for me. I am in the middle of reading the Narnia stories. I am in Prince Caspian and just read about Lucy and the children following Aslan through the woods. It even says how close she had to stay to him and have laser focused vision on him to follow. I am convicted at how I don’t do this. No wonder I feel directionless so often!
I want to start these, I have never read!! And don’t remember seeing the movie either!
I also enjoy Moses’s conversation with Hobab. I can understand Hobab’s hesitation. He knows it is not easy to live as a foreigner, wandering the wilderness with Israel… Yet God is there. Is God worth staying with and pursuing instead of returning home to family?
At first, he wants to leave. But Moses convinces him to stay…
At the end of his life, will Hobab see his “yes” was worth the sacrifice of leaving his land and family?
He was much like Abraham… (Genesis 12:1)
Sometimes, the Lord leads us to stay. The cloud of His presence remains still. Sometimes, He asks us to go, following wherever we see His face shining on and confirming our path…
“Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me.” (Psalm 119:133 NKJV)
❤️ God bless your Tuesday, Shes. Will try to check in later tonight to read prayer requests…
Dear Tina, it has taken me until today to figure out where the comments were. Old school struggles! Thank you all for your prayers for my cataract surgery. Leave it to me for it NOT “to be a breeze”. Guess my expectations were a wee bit high! Our daughter arrived and returned home safely. She was a big help to me as was my daughter-in-love. Such blessings.
The new format had me in a panic not being able to find my sweet sisters’ comments!
Have a very blessed Tuesday. Prayers for all.❤
How are you feeling, today? Glad your daughter got home safe. ❤️
Oh, Linda! You sound like my husband. We are 6 weeks out and counting from what was to have been a short and sweet procedure/recovery. Still on antibiotics! Prayers that your recovery goes better now and thankful your girls could help and are safe. Thanks for being determined to find us and for the update! ❤
After a year camped at Mt Sinai, Israel moved out for the first time. Imagine all the bustling packing up their things, getting the children ready, maybe separating their herds, the Levites taking the tabernacle down for the first time (fear if they don’t do it right?). I would imagine it took a full day, if not more, before everyone was actually moving. Then imagine what the space looked like when they were totally gone. Was there evidence that God’s glory had rested in that place?
Pondering the trumpet blasts signaling different things…will the final trumpet blast that comes from heaven be long (signaling the gathering) or short (signaling moving out)?
Praying for your requests ❤️
Awesome questions this morning! Surely the ground was affected by the presence of Almighty God, as are we.
And the trumpet calling us home? I’ll go with gathering, or maybe it will have a length or blast pattern just for us ❤️
Are any of you using the app or just online? When my app loads I select the daily reading and just get a blank screen. Thanks!
We are working on a solution for this! Please reach out to [email protected] if you have any other questions!
I’m on my iPad 10th generation and it’s working fine for me
That is a great question! Love these thoughts, Kelly. ❤️
What beautiful pondering! Thanks for sharing! ❤
Love these thought provoking questions ❤️
Never really sat and pondered this- thanks Kelly Neo for your questions!
The stop and go with the cloud reminded me of “red light, green light.” It seems God was teaching them to trust His leading. They had been living in bondage for so long- this was new! And He knew that they needed the practice of listening to Him alone.
Follow the Leader. I need to be in God‘s word and talking to Him so I know the direction He wants me to go. I need to trust that He is The Direction. Amen
I like how Moses tried to make his brother-in-law feel wanted. Don’t we all want to feel that way? I pray with the Lord‘s direction I can show people that they are wanted.
❤️
I noticed that too.
Yet even Moses, one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known, couldn’t convince this family member to join them. So maybe whether we succeed or fail is not about us, right? the
Funny, isn’t it, when we say to have a cloud hanging over us, ie something to happen, a future thing, an operation, or a court case, or a meeting with the boss, we twenty first century folk think worry, shocking, gloomy, upsetting or even unhappy.
When our judgement is clouded, we have difficulty understanding of remembering..
Oh, and don’t get me started on ‘casting a cloud’ over something..
And yet..
BUT GOD..
Here, is for the Lord’s people, the Israelites, His cloud was Him being close to them, guiding, always ahead.
A loving positive in the lives and journey of the Israelites..❤
Funny thing is, He has never stopped leading, guiding, directing and bringing us to the place, for us, that is safe, right and God ordained.
He has always had the very best interest of His people/children at heart, even when we have ‘clouds’ hanging over us or our ‘judgement is clouded’ or ‘a cloud is cast’ our something..
Through HIS Holy spirit in us, we do have His presence for always.
So very thankful, Lord God, for your presence every day in My life, from my waking to My sleeping you are there showing me the way, leading.. Praise you Lord God, and thank you for Jesus, by whose blood these things are made possible..
AMEN.
Happy Tuesday, dear hearts. Prayerful today is a good and God blessed day for you and yours..❤
I am struggling with this new format, (old school lady who doesn’t do change very well,) I’m sure I’ll get there.. Soooooooooon. That said, know that I am here praying and lifting my shed up in prayer as always in love, and covered in hugs..❤
Love that connection
Thanks
Guidance or dread – interesting how we’ve switched up the symbolism of a cloud – thank you, TINA!
And yep, I’m still struggling with the new format as well. I have had the same problem accessing comments but have eventually had success either exiting the day, coming back and trying again – Or persistently trying to pull the comments up, or trying to pull down to refresh. Or both.
Same!If we old birds have nothing else, we have determination!
Beautiful, sister! Hugs and love back to you!
That connection is so good. We do look negatively at clouds today. I believe I will be changing how I see clouds from now on.
Thanks for your positive spin!! Now when I hear the negative I can reply with the positive!!! So good!
Thank you Tina for your perspective! ❤️
Tina, I find it much easier on the computer than the phone. On the phone it will stop as you try to scroll through comments and you can’t move on. I’m “old school” too, don’t ask me to cut and paste, my husband has explained and shown more times than he wants. LOL