The Pillar of Cloud and the Pillar of Fire
(Exodus 13:21-22)

All the people are living in the world, dreaming of success and happiness. We who believe in Jesus are also in pursuit of happiness and success. Happy life for us means the life to be recognized by God and to walk with Him. God is always with us throughout our lives and leads us all the way, going personally before us. When we follow God's guidance, we can live a truly happy life.

1. God, the Guide
While Israelites were on the way of the wilderness, God Himself led their way with a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire, going before them. While we are on the path of life like wilderness, we are not alone. God is walking with us. Going before us all the way in which we should go, He is leading us. As God who saved us with the blood of Jesus is walking with us, we should follow only God who is our guide.

2. The pillar of cloud
God is leading us with His Word, who are living in the world like wilderness. The road Israelites walked on was the wilderness under the hot Sun. However, God who was guiding them protected them by sending a pillar of cloud lest they should be harmed by the heat of the day. For us who are living today, The Word of God is to be referred to as the pillar of cloud which protects us. The Psalm writer confesses, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”(Psalm 119:105). Holding onto the Word of God, we should move forward with the faith of absolute positivity.

3. The pillar of fire
While we are living in this world like wilderness, God leads us with the Holy Spirit. Israelites walking in the wilderness had to endure the cold at night. But God who was guiding them sent them a pillar of fire to protect them from the cold of the night. Even in our lives, we sometimes have cold and dark nights. In such times, we should be filled with the Holy Spirit. Filled with the Holy Spirit, we can fully overcome the extreme cold of life. Furthermore, we can passionately live a life of a witness to the gospel.

The cloud pillar of the Word and the fire pillar of the Holy Spirit must stay on the church today. The Word of God and the Holy Spirit are supposed to lead the church. Then we will become a church God is pleased.