One Step at a Time

I was thinking this morning about what Heavenly Father did to lead Lehi to the promised land. He didn't tell him in that first dream where he saw the light that he was going to leave Jerusalem and travel around the world, in a boat no less, as one of Israel's scattered branches. He didn't tell him his descendants would devolve to multi-generational wars and that eventually one branch of his descendants would be wiped out in internecine wars. Nor did He tell him that His Son would personally appear to his distant descendants.

Instead he led him along, one step at a time:

Lehi, preach to the people of Jerusalem.

Lehi, you are to flee with your family into the wilderness. (Once they are in the wilderness, the Lord tells Nephi he will be led to a land of promise.)

Lehi, send your sons back for the plates of brass owned by Laban.

Lehi, send your sons back to convince Ishmael and his family to join you.

Lehi, here's a "Liahona" to help guide you through the wilderness you have to cross.

Lehi, I'm going to help your son Nephi build a boat, then you're all getting on it and setting off into the great ocean.

Every step along the way, aside from where He tells Nephi He is going to guide them to the promised land, He just tells Lehi what to do next. Every step was a test faith. Every step required not looking back but focusing on the future. Each involved considerable risk. Every step came by revelation and only after acting on what had already been given.

Since God is an unchangeable God, why should I be surprised that aside from the promise of getting to the Celestial Kingdom God doesn't say much about the intervening steps?