I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron. – Isaiah 45:2

After Moses had been given a glimpse of God’s character in Exodus 32:12-23, he realized that the Israelite’s success of getting to the promised land was fully dependent on God and not their own strength. After all, they were a very fragile and stubborn people who could at any point in time turn heel, but if God was with them, they would have something more than faith to rely on. So God harkened to Moses, and went before them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

Similarly, our verse for today is an assurance from God to Cyrus, a foreign king whom God had stirred up to bring down the kingdom of Babylon and free Israel from captivity. By extension, it was an assurance to the people of Israel and us also, today. When God goes before us, He makes the crooked path straight, He removes every brassed-gate obstacle from our path and levels the ground for us to have a smooth journey while navigating His purpose.

Moses acknowledged this need, so did Cyrus, who eventually achieved all God had set or for him. Now more than ever, we have to rely on God’s direction. Today. This month, this year. Like Moses, let us acknowledge our need for the presence of God to lead us, and let us rest in the hope that He will make all crooked paths straight, He will bring down strongholds and cut through iron for us. Amen.