Exodus 13:21-22
The Lord went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.
Dear God, Don’t Wait for Me
At the children’s Christmas program tonight, Logan begrudgingly played the part of Joseph. With no lines, his primary responsibility was to walk up one aisle and down another, accompanying Mary to the stable in Bethlehem. He took off at a fast clip, leaving Mary in the dust. As he passed behind the pew where I was sitting, I touched his shoulder and whispered, “Wait for Mary!”
He took a few more steps, turned toward Bethlehem, and stopped. Mary caught up to him, and together they walked down the aisle, the famous Good Shepherd donkey (a two-person costume that’s been a tradition for as long as most everyone can remember) following behind. Mary smiled; Joseph scowled.
As I’m reading now from Exodus, though, I’m feeling greater appreciation for Logan’s portrayal of Joseph as one who went in front of Mary on that arduous, dangerous journey.
When Pharaoh let the Israelites go, God knew that a roundabout route would benefit the people by protecting them from facing war in the land of the Philistines (Exodus 13:17-18). So, God went in front of them to lead them, as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Later, that same pillar of cloud moved behind the people to protect them from the encroaching Egyptian army.
May 2020 in my parents’ backyard on the edge of Ogden. I was scared to make the trip, because it was early on in the pandemic and I was so fearful I would unwittingly spread the virus to them. The sunset that night was strangely reassuring.
God provides what is needed in any given moment. First, direction. Then, protection. A cloud by day. A light in the night sky. Day and night. Night and day. Until the people are safe from the pursuing threat.
Until we are right where we need to be.