Trusting the Guide
Exodus 13:17–22
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.” 18 So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.[a]The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.
19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath. He had said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place.”[b]
20 After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. 21 By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people
.Life is a journey, and whether you feel at the beginning, somewhere in the middle, or looking back with hindsight, one truth remains the same: your steps are directed.
Some of us are just starting out, unsure of how the pieces will fit together. Others are in the middle stages, with unfinished chapters and questions still unanswered. And some can look back with the testimony, “How did I get here?”—yet see clearly that God was guiding all along.
I often think about this when I remember a funny story from my school days. My wife, Kathy, once had to guard her maths classroom door because mischievous boys kept knocking and running away. Little did she know one of those boys would later become her husband. Life has a way of surprising us, doesn’t it?
The Bible tells us:
“A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way?” (Prov. 20:24)
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” (Prov. 16:9)
Even when life feels chaotic, God is at work directing the way.
1. Directed by God
When God led Israel out of Egypt, He didn’t take them by the shortest route. Instead, He chose the desert road by the Red Sea. Why? Because He knew what they could handle. If they faced war too soon, they might have run back to slavery (Exod. 13:17–18).
God’s leading may not always look like the quickest or most attractive route. But it is the best one. He was preparing Israel for something greater: the miracle of the Red Sea.
In the same way, God leads us with purpose. Sometimes the longer road is the safer one. Sometimes the wilderness is where we see His glory most clearly.
“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn” (Ps. 37:5–6).
Your life is not random. It is directed.
2. Determined to Be Led
Direction is one thing—but determination is another. Israel left Egypt in “battle formation” (Exod. 13:18). They weren’t ready for war, but they had to prepare themselves anyway. The only way to be ready is to start getting ready.
That meant discipline, unity, and diligence. It meant guarding their hearts (Eph. 6:14). It meant finding their place among the people of God. In fact, the phrase “in battle formation” carries the idea of moving out in divisions—like a body with many parts, each one finding its place (Rom. 12:6; Eph. 4:11).
To be led, we must be determined:
Determined to develop and use our gifts with joy, not just rely on experience.
Determined to bring forward treasures from the past—truths that still give life—without being fossilised by nostalgia (Matt. 13:52).
Determined to obey what God has already spoken, even as we walk into the unknown.
Determination means refusing to drift. It means choosing to prepare, to serve, to stay faithful—even when you don’t yet see the full picture.
3. Discerning God’s Presence
Finally, being led requires discernment. For Israel, God’s presence was made visible in a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. This was the first time God appeared in a cloud. It was something new.
That presence was:
Constant: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Heb. 13:5).
Protective: God’s presence came between Israel and their enemies (Exod. 14:19).
Clear: it was visible, guiding, and forward-moving.
For us today, God’s presence is experienced in three ways: Thoughts built from the excellent book by Adam Venables - The Presence Centred Life
Omnipresence – He is everywhere, always (Jer. 23:24).
Indwelling presence – His Spirit lives within us, guiding and convicting (1 Cor. 6:19; 3:16).
Manifest presence – when His glory breaks in tangibly, shifting the atmosphere and bringing change (2 Chron. 5:14).
None of these is greater than the other; together they remind us that God is with us in every circumstance.
A presence-centred life is one that is:
Aware of God’s omnipresence.
Attentive to His indwelling voice.
Alert to His manifest glory breaking in.
Final Word
Israel was led by fire in the night—it was light in the darkness. And so it is with us. Even in the darkest seasons, God is guiding, growing, and leading us.
Your life is directed.
You need determination to be led.
And you must discern His presence.
So here is the invitation: commit your darkness to Him. Trust the Guide.
