February 5

Heavenly Guidance

When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.” — Matt 2:13 BSB

All our steps should be guided by God. In ancient times, God led His people with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. When the cloud or fire moved, the people followed. When it stopped, they rested. Though we don’t have visible signs like that today, God’s guidance is no less real and clear.

An angel brought Joseph the command to flee to Egypt. Angels may not appear to us visibly today, but who’s to say they don’t whisper in our ears, guiding us in ways we think are our own thoughts? One thing is certain—God will always guide us, and if we have hearts that listen, we will never miss His direction. We should always wait for God’s guidance before making any decisions, especially in times of danger. We should wait for His word and not move until He speaks.

It should comfort and reassure us to know that God cares for us so faithfully. Some people laugh at the simple faith of those who trust God, saying it’s all just imagination, and that no one in heaven is watching over us. But we don’t need to be disturbed by such skeptics. There is a God in heaven, and He is our Father. He never sleeps and is always in control of everything. This should give us complete confidence. Our job is simply to be ready to obey. Whenever God calls us to move, there’s a reason for it, and we should follow without hesitation. Wherever He sends us, we should remain until He calls us again. The place of duty is always the safest place, and we should never leave until God tells us to.