The Children of Israel were at the edge of Canaan for the second time.  Forty years earlier they had turned back in fear and lack of faith.  Now that generation was gone, and the people were ready to go in.  But there was a problem.  The king of Edom refused to let them cross his land, which lay between them and their destination.  The people apparently expected God to lead them into battle with the Edomites, destroying them in the same way He had just destroyed the Canaanites to the south.

    But they got a surprise.  God’s stated purpose was that they were to possess the Land of Canaan, which was to the north.  But God led them south, on the road to the Red Sea, then around Edom.  That was longer and harder, “and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.”  This caused them to murmur against God and Moses, which caused God to discipline them with the fiery serpents.  When they learned their lesson, and began to follow again, God continued to lead them north by first leading them south until they stood within sight of the Promised Land.

    Has God ever led you north by south?

    Perhaps it is happening as you read this.  Perhaps it happened long ago.  Perhaps it is in God’s plan for tomorrow.  You think you know where God is leading.  You do your best to follow Him.  Then He does something totally confusing.  He leads you north by south.  It doesn’t make any sense to you.  Any one can see you should be going north.  But God tells you to go south.  It’s easy to get discouraged when it happens this way.

    I remember a time when a lady in the church where we were members asked if I would like to work under her at the airport, shuttling rental cars from place to place.  It was not a desirable job.  It didn’t pay much.  And I didn’t really need the money.  So I told her I wasn’t interested.  Until the Lord told me I should be, because that’s what He wanted me to do.

    I didn’t see how that job was going to help me with God’s plan for the ministry in which I am now engaged.  But I took the job, and worked faithfully day after day, until God told me to quit.  That shocked me also, because then I did need the money.  But I obeyed, and God brought me through many detours to the place where we now live and serve.

    Why did God do that?  I don’t know.  Maybe He wanted to see how serious I was about trusting Him for the journey.  Maybe He had reasons I don’t know and may never know.  But I knew it was God who was leading me.  And I’m glad I followed.

    When God leads north by south, it’s the only way to go.