Glimmering
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. – Exodus 13:21 (NRSVUE)
One Sunday afternoon I drove my wife, then in an air cast, to an installation service for one of her Presbyterian colleagues. Over hill and dale we went, then onto a highway, which we exited at an interchange near the church she served right out of seminary. I turned left at the exit when I first visited her seventeen years ago. We were just friends at the time, but that particular crossroads will always feel momentous to me. The route was familiar to my wife, who preached at our destination for her neutral pulpit in 2001, but for me, just as on my long-ago trip, the rest of the way was unknown.
Exodus tells us that the Lord led the Israelites out of Egypt by a roundabout way, which always makes me imagine they must have passed the same landmarks repeatedly in their wilderness season. We know they panicked about having enough to eat and drink, and sometimes wondered if they would ever arrive.
We have had our moments, too. Are we in the right place, traveling the right road, doing the right work? I have worked myself up over these questions many times, especially when I arrive at a familiar crossroads, seeking a glimmer of reassurance.
“Turn right,” my wife said, as I lingered at the stop sign. So I turned and drove down a road that was new to me.
Prayer
Holy One, lead us in your way, on whatever new journeys come next. May we trust your glimmering guidance. Amen.
About the AuthorMartha Spong is a UCC pastor, a clergy coach, and editor of The Words of Her Mouth: Psalms for the Struggle, from The Pilgrim Press.