July 20

God guides and protects

“Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face” (Psa. 5:8).
“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” (Exod. 13:21).

The pillar of cloud by day went before Israel to direct the way forward, to avoid bypaths, and to prevent Israel’s getting ahead of God’s leadings. The pillar of fire by night was behind to protect His people from the enemy in the rear and to prevent their lagging behind through a reluctance or disinclination to obey divine leadership.

Thou seest I cannot journey on
Till Thou the lingering cloud remove,
And make the destined action known,
And lead me by the fire of love.

My every choice, desire, design
I now implicitly submit;
My will is fixed to follow Thine,
And lies indifferent at Thy feet.

Loosed and detached, I cease from man;
Opinions, names, are clean forgot;
This all my aim, and all my plan,
To do, and be—I know not what.

But wilt Thou not at last appear,
Make darkness light before my face,
And crooked straight, and doubtful clear,
And show, and shine on all my ways?
—Charles Wesley.

Our Lord gives me the grace of keeping me in His peace. I find this: the more I plan and arrange to do a great deal in this place or that, the less gets done. But if I commit all my work to God much more gets done. Therefore I will let Him work.
—Marquis de Renty.

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