Moses asked to be shown “the way.” Here is the answer:—The way is not shown—but better than this, God says “Trust Me”—“I will go with thee!”
Afflicted one, hear the voice addressing thee from the cloudy pillar. It is a wilderness promise which God speaks to His spiritual Israel still. He who led His people of old will manifest towards thee the same Sheperd-love. The way may be very different from what we could have wished;—what we would have chosen. But the choice is in better hands. He has His own wise and righteous ends in every devious turning in it.
Who can look back on the past leadings of God without gratitude and thankfulness? When His sheep have been conducted to the rougher parts of the wilderness, He, their Shepard, has “gone before them.” When their fleeces were torn, and they foot-sore and weary,—He has borne them in His arms. His presence has lightened every cross and sweetened every care. Let us trust Him for an unknown and checkered future.
He leads us to breathe more earnestly the prayer, “If Thy presence go not with us, carry us not hence.” He will not suffer us to rear tabernacles on earth, and to write upon them, “This is my rest.” No, Tenting time here—resting time yonder! But “Fear not,” He seems to say, “thou art not left unbefriended or unsolaced on the way. Pilgrim in pilgrim land, “My presence shall go with thee.” In all thy dark and cloudy days—in thy hours of faintness and depression—in sadness and in sorrow—in loneliness and solitude—in life and in death. And when the journey is ended,—the Pillar needed no more,—“I will give thee rest.” The earnest of grace will be followed with the fruition of glory.
Excerpt taken from The Bow in the Cloud or Words of Comfort for Hours of Sorrow by John Ross McDuff. This excerpt can be found in the section called “Presence and Rest”. Public domain.