Wilderness II

WILDERNESS II

There are times when one never leaves the wilderness. The children of Israel were in the wilderness wondering for forty years with Moses. None of them were allowed to enter the Promised Land. They had been delivered form Egyptian bondage. They saw God work in really powerful miracles. They crossed the Red Sea on dry land and were delivered from the “hand of Pharaoh”. Just a few months after they were delivered from Egypt they were at the south end of the area of the Promised Land. Twelve spies were sent in to the land to recon the territory. Only Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, gave a favorable report the other ten told about how hard the task would be and that the enemy was to great. In the end however their faith failed and they were condemned to stay in the wilderness. Forty years later their children were allowed to go into the land. The entire original group died in the wilderness.

The failure of faith and the desire for what is familiar has caused many folks to stay in the wilderness of their lives. It has caused many to fail to follow the will of God. I have seen a lot of individuals who never came out of the wilderness of alcohol or drug use because of fear of feelings, low self worth. There are some wildernesses that seem to have no way out. Wildernesses of illness, financial ruin, often trap people for years with no redemption or deliverance. They never see God in these places and circumstances. They pass the “burning bushes” and never hear the voice of God.

The other side of the coin is that one can be in a promised land and feel they are in a wilderness. The prodigal son was one of those. He had to leave his father’s home and going to the wilderness of self will and pleasure to see that home was a promised land.

I hope you do not become trapped in your wilderness look for the face of God in that place. Where ever you find the face of God is place to begin a true spiritual journey.