Nehemiah 9:19-20 "Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. By day the pillar of cloud did not cease to guide them on their path, nor did the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take. You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst."
I have been on "Desert Journey" since July. My family and I moved from the lush landscape and rich culture of South Carolina to the vast expanse of a dry and barren existence of west central Arizona. You could say that these two area's are polar opposites in every way. The South, steeped in tradition, green and humid and The West, loose, diverse, brown and dry.
We moved west because of the promise of promotion and advancement in my husbands company. After 6 mos none of the "promises" have come in to fruition. And my husband is working like an Israelite slave back in the days of Egypt. Being asked to make bricks of straw, so to speak, and working countless hours with no days off for less pay.
Before moving here, during that process of prayerfully seeking God's direction, God clearly spoke to me about the Israelites and their journey from slavery and abuse through a barren waste land in to the promise land. I thought about how the Israelite's where completely provided for in every way. Their life in the desert, though entirely foreign, was exceedingly better than life under Egyptian rule. And yet, they still complained, grumbled, doubted and looked to other gods in times of discouragement and frustration.
Also, in preparing for a life totally different than the one we had been living, the Lord gave me the verse 1Corinthians 15:13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.
I knew that where we were going was a "Spiritual Desert" as well. From doing research about this area one of the many things I discovered was that approx 4,000 people out of 50,000 are "Church Goer's" unlike the "Bible Belt" of the South. You don't experience the name of "Jesus" being used as a curse word too often there, if ever. But, I grew up on the West Coast and had a pretty good idea of the differences.
When I moved to the "South" it was quite an eye opener and took a few years to adjust and accept how things are done there. Today, I miss it terribly. I have been brought to a desert place that I just can't seem to wrap my mind around. There is nothing here. No water, lakes, streams, rivers, creeks, nothing. Very few trees and a lot of tumble weeds. I can't seem to see what draws people here. It is the last place on God's green earth that I would ever choose to live. And there's the key. We were called here. Maybe we were "allowed" to come here to experience a "desert place" to understand how good we had it. (Maybe if I fuss enough God will make water poor forth from the big rock in my yard.lol)
You see, we were in a land flowing with milk and honey and didn't know how good we had it. We complained, grumbled, were discontent and restless at one point in time or another. And as I observe the Israelites, they didn't even make it that far. For them, the desert could have been only temporary, had they not been so stiff necked. But they still remind me of....me! So what am I going to do with my Desert Place?
So here is the challenge my friends, when you find your self in a "Desert Place", be it literal, spiritual, emotional, etc, what happens to your faith. Do you let it dry up? Do you grumble and complain like the Israelites? Do you look to other gods to focus your energy on? Do you grow weak and drop your guard? NO! No, no, no. Trust me, I want to cry, tuck tail and run back to South Carolina. But I have to trust that God is allowing this season for us because He has something better in mind. He has a promise land waiting for us and we can't get THERE until we learn how to live HERE. We must stand firm, have courage and be strong.
This is a time where I need to take my focus off of my outward circumstances, a literal desert place, in order to not let it dry up my inward circumstances...joy, peace, love and most important the Holy Spirit. My focus is to be on Jesus!!! With Him I find all that I need. Living water.
Lord, thank you for your provision in the midst of our "Desert Places". Because of your great compassion you do not abandon us there. Thank you for giving us your Spirit to instruct us and comfort us. And, most of all, thank you that you have provided your Living Water that we may drink and never thirst again. In Jesus name, amen.
Today's Worship Walk play list:
Burning One's Chris Quilala
Breath of God Vicky Beeching
Holy, Holy, Holy Unknown Artist
As I am (Final Mix) Unknown Artis
Beautiful Exchange Transparency
Captured Rita Springer
Glorious(Tait Version) Newsboys
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