By day you led them with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire to give them light on the way they were to take. – (Nehemiah 9:12)
Do you ever think, “I blew it. Surely God is tired of me and wants to throw me out”? It’s not true! Read what He did with the Israelites in the book of Numbers: As they wandered through the wilderness they kept messing up, but His presence never left them. He had His special presence at night—the pillar of fire; and His special presence by day—the pillar of cloud. It not only showed them His presence, but it also guided and protected them.
Jesus is so in this, because Jesus doesn’t throw us out when we make mistakes! You might say, “You don’t how bad mine are, Marilyn.” Well let me tell you something, do you remember that the Israelites made a golden calf to worship? Do you remember they started complaining three days after God had delivered them from their enemies? But God stuck with them, and He sticks with us.
How do you feel about your children? Do you want them to fail? No way! Do I want my grandchildren to fail? No way! You constantly believe God for them. So, God saw the failures of His children but He didn’t give up on them. And God sees your failures, but He doesn’t give up on you.
Nehemiah quotes the book of Numbers to remind his people that they can trust God to guide and protect them, regardless of how far they backslide. And we too can be inspired by this revelation of God’s love.
Jesus, I declare that You came to set the captives free, and it doesn’t happen by my self-efforts. It happens by the redemption of the cross!
