Walking in the Desert

 Deut 2:7
For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness:..

The testing of our faith is done when we are walking through the desert wilderness of life. I’m told that the desert has its own unique attractions, and in some respects I can see how it might be, but as a general rule, I would choose rather not to live in the dry climate of the hot and lifeless desert. A desert place in life is symbolized as a time of desolation and dryness of spirit. Going through a hard place, circumstances are tough and life giving water is nowhere to be found. The lessons in life are often done when we are walking in the desert. This is the place where our faith is tested and our trust to believe in God, that He knows where we are, and He knows what we need. His will and purpose is being accomplished. He is preparing us for something new. In the desert, He will provide us with what we need. A river will spring forth, and He will bring us through. “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Is 43:19). We all enjoy the “mountain top” experience where all is going well, and we are basking in God’s presence. But when we walk through the desert, God’s presence appears to be absent. We need to know that God sees us and knows what we are going through. We can trust the promises of God and believe that He will provide us with what we need as we walk in the desert places of life. He has promised us a river, a stream that will take us through. “When we have exhausted our store of endurance, when our strength has failed, when the day is half done, when we reach the end of our hoarded resources, our Father’s full giving has only begun”- The river of grace will appear and make a way as we walk in the desert.

Where is the Water?

Ps, 63:1 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsts for thee, my flesh longs for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

Going through a dry spell spiritually? I would guess we all have been there. You may even be going through one now. Going through the motions of daily devotions. Reading the Bible, filling our heart and minds with truth, doing what is right, yet emotions have been dry and God appears to be busy working in someone else’s life. Going to church faithfully and thankful for a pastor that preaches the truth, but there are less people sitting on the pews than in the past. Where is the water? My heart is thirsty for the presence of God. Praying and waiting for God to open up the heavens and pour out His glory. Let the showers of blessings fall. May the rivers flow again. It is a desert place, but I long to see a stream of His presences.

There is a River

Psalm 46:6 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

Walking in the wilderness of the desert of life will dehydrate us spiritually. We can only go so long without water. We become so busy with life and all of its demands that we fail to take time to stop and drink. There is a river that God has provided for us to drink from. If we are going to making it to our destiny, we need to take time each day to drink from the streams that flow from the city of God. From the river, we are able to refill to continue our journey. We need not die of thirst, there is a river that flows from God, water to quench the longings of our soul, water to give us the strength to carry on. Take time to stop, bend down on the banks of the river and take a drink.

A Desert Place

Mark 6:31,46 “And He said unto them, “Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while.” ... And when He had sent them away, He departed onto a mountain to pray.”-

There are times in our lives that we just need to get away and find a quiet place to relax and reflect on God. We all need a desert place or a mountain to go to. A place where we can put aside all the cares of life and allow our minds to focus on things eternal, put our body on pause and allow God to rejuvenate us with new strength. We all get busy with things that are legitimate and pressing. We find it harder to take time everyday to get alone with God and spend time in His word and in prayer. God is calling us to lay it down and head to the desert to rest awhile. Our responsibilities our real and need to be done, but we are of no use if we are so tired and stressed out that we cannot do our job effectively. Jesus practice times of solitude and reflection, He often would pull Himself away from the crowd and the pressing things in life, and find a quiet place to pray and rest. In the desert place, God wants to meet with us, and fill us with new strength to face the days ahead of us with new life and determination.