Day 2: God Is Our Guide

Connect

Without using your smartphone, can you tell which direction is north? south? east? west?

You probably will never be without your smartphone, so you may think you don’t need this. But this is how the people in ancient times told directions: 

• Go outside in the morning. Locate the sun, but don’t look directly at it. 
• Point your right hand toward the sun. That is east, because the sun always rises in the east. 
• Now, point your left hand in the opposite direction. That is west. 
• Hold that position. The direction you are facing is north and behind you is south.

You can also do this in the afternoon, but reversed, because the sun sets in the afternoon and it always sets in the west. 

• Point your left hand toward the setting sun. That is the west. 
• Point your right hand in the opposite direction and that is the east. 
• You are now facing north and south is behind you.

Reminder: Again, never look directly at the sun.

Hopefully, you will never find yourself in the middle of a desert with your smartphone out of range. But if you do, this method may help you find your way back to civilization.

In our lives, our foolproof guide is God Himself. Let’s read about how He guided the Israelites out of a no-way-out situation.

Read the Word

Read Exodus 14–15.

There was no way out for the Israelites. The Egyptians were coming up fast behind them. In front of them was the Red Sea. They didn’t know what to do or where to go. But God, in His mighty power, led them to walk through the waters of the Red Sea, a feat no one would ever have thought of. And the Israelites praised Him.

“You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode.” EXODUS 15:13 (ESV)

God gave the Israelites a way out by opening up the Red Sea. And every step of their way in the desert, God continued not just to guide them, but He was right beside them all the way.

God will do the same for us. He will not only guide us, but He will walk with us through any difficulty. Sometimes He may lead us to unfamiliar places, but as His children, we can lean on Him and trust in His ways. Just as a parent guides a child in which way to walk, God will also guide us through the Holy Spirit.

Huddle

Parents to Kids

4–6 years old 

• Whose voice do you normally follow and obey? Why?

7–12 years old 

• Who do you go to when you need advice or are unsure about something? Do you trust them? Why? 
• Is there an area in your life right now where you need God’s guidance? What do you think He is telling you to do? Do you trust Him enough to obey?

Kids to Parents 

• How has God guided you in the past? Share a story about a time you were unsure how to proceed and relied on guidance from God. 
• How can you know when you are being directed by God?

You know, God does not want to just be on the sidelines in our life. He wants to be part of it. How much He can guide and lead us depends on how much we let Him. The more we seek Him, the more we will be open to obey Him. We can have peace knowing that it is our Father who is directing us.

Make it a habit to seek Him every day.

Pray

Dear God, this past year has been challenging, but nothing matters more than You. Thank You, Lord, that You have guided us through these difficult trials and challenges. Thank You for always giving us wisdom to make decisions. Thank You that through the Holy Spirit we can rely and hold on to Your promises to guide us. Help us hear Your voice and obey it. We love You. We praise You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Discover

Before GPS and smartphones, how did people navigate through new places?

Our activity earlier about using the sun to tell the direction is one of the earliest ways people found their way. They knew the direction the sun travels and by the location of the sun, they could generally tell which direction they needed to go.

Another method of navigation is the compass. The earth is a huge magnet with magnetic poles that lines of magnetic force connect to. Metals will line themselves up along these lines. A compass uses a metal needle and will always line up with the earth’s lines of magnetic force, which point northward. Sailors usually use compasses to help them navigate their way through the seas.

Still another method is the map. A map is a diagram of a certain area. They were widely used in different ways and at times were even instrumental in winning wars. Today, there are different types of maps—road maps, navigational maps, elevation maps, and more. The maps on our smartphones today are extremely detailed and quite accurate. They provide specific information like travel time and are a must-have for any traveller.

Despite technological advancement, there is only one foolproof directional guide that we need—God! The Holy Spirit is here with us to lead us in the way God wants us to go. We can follow Him without any fear or doubt. The most common way to hear from God is through His word, the Bible.

Sources

1. Caitlin Dempsey, “Understanding Direction Based on the Sun,” Geography Realm, published July 7, 2018, https://www.geographyrealm.com/understanding-direction-based-sun/.

2. Britannica Kids, s.v. “compass,” accessed May 14, 2021, https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/compass/390676.