Numbers 10:35,36 “Then it came about when the ark set out that Moses said, “Rise up, O LORD! And let Your enemies be scattered, And let those who hate You flee before You.” When it came to rest, he said, “Return, O LORD, To the myriad thousands of Israel.” When the camp would move, Moses asked for God’s presence to go before them for protection. When they stopped, he asked for God’s presence to come back to their midst. They weren’t home yet. They were traveling towards it. They were aware of the hostilities. They had just left Egypt and knew of their power and oppression. They also knew that their new home had inhabitants that would need to be dealt with. There were nations and cities along the way that would feel threatened by such a big group. The Israelites weren’t trained militarily, nor were they armed. They were vulnerable. They knew this, so they prayed for God to go ahead of them for protection. Deuteronomy 31:8 says, “The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Ps 23 and the Lord’s Prayer also speaks of God guiding us. There are mean people out there. There are also circumstances that may be tempting. We also have the enemy of our souls who intentionally seeks to ruin us. God goes ahead of us and makes our paths straight. What about the enemies that they encounter? God had them engage in battle at times. They fought and defeated Jericho. Because of their sin they lost at Ai. Once they repented, they got the victory. We also will have battles. We will have difficult people. That doesn’t mean that God hates them and wants them gone. They might not be aware of our problems with them. We need to pray for the right response and attitude. 1 Peter 4:12,13 says, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.” God wants us to trust Him in these times. He wants to build our character. We are to have peace amidst these storms. When we feel ourselves getting anxious or angry, we aren’t trusting. Lord, thank You that You go before us. We thank You for the peace and the straight paths. Help us in the battles. Help us to trust You and not get anxious, angry or to do something foolish.