LEVEL CLAY IDOLS

(by John MacDuff) 

"My presence shall go with you,
 and I will give you rest."  Ex. 33:14 

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 you!"

Afflicted one! hear the voice addressing you
from the cloudy pillar. It is a wilderness promise
which God speaks to His spiritual Israel still. He
who led His people of old "like a flock by the hand
of Moses and Aaron," will manifest towards you
the same Shepherd 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 had His own wise and righteous
ends in every erratic 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 Shepherd, has "gone
before them. When their fleece was torn, and
footsore 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.

Other companionships we cherished may have
failed us, but One who is better than the best,
goes before us in His gracious pillar cloud.

With Him for our portion, take what He will away,
we must be happy; we can rise above the loss of
the earthly gift, in the consciousness of the nobler
possession and heritage we enjoy in the Great Bestower.

He may have seen fit to level clay idols, that He, the
"All Satisfying" might reign paramount and supreme.

He will not allow us to raise havens on earth,
and to write upon them, "This is my rest."

But "Fear not," He seems to say, "You are not left
without a friend or without solace on the way home.
Pilgrim in a pilgrim land! My presence shall go with
you. In all your dark and cloudy days; in your hours
of faintness and depression; in sadness; in life and
in death! And when the journey is ended, the Pillar
needed no more, I will give you rest."

The pledge of Grace will be followed with the fruition of Glory!

"My presence shall go with you,
 and I will give you rest."  Ex. 33:14