Wilderness
And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah. She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.” … Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
(Exodus 2:21,22 & 3:1)
On my mind this week is the wilderness; the barren, empty places of life where people have a very good chance to meet their God. Perhaps I am thinking about this because I have taken a little “staycation” this week, helping to run the household while Lisa is out of the country. It has been good to have different rhythms and routines, to have space where there is frequently busyness. It has allowed for unhurried conversations with kids and neighbors. It has encouraged reflection and refreshment.
In my case this wilderness time was sought and welcomed. Like with Moses above, that isn’t always the case. Often the wilderness is unsought and unwelcome. A couple of years ago our daughter Sophia faced the wilderness after blowing out her ACL. Folks at Christ Church have walked the wilderness of job loss. Others have agonized in the wilderness that comes after losing a loved one. The wilderness comes in different shapes and sizes, sometimes a welcome journey and other times an unwanted destination thrust upon unwitting sojourners.
The question to consider is when we find ourselves sojourning in an unwanted place, will we be open to a meeting with our God? So often it is in the wilderness that we find ourselves more available, more vulnerable, more open to hearing from the Lord than when we are in the regular rhythms of life. It is in the wilderness, stripped of comforts and distractions, that we are able to hear the still small voice of the Spirit; maybe convicting, maybe comforting, but always wooing us to a closer walk with our Shepherd.
When those wilderness times come, may we learn to embrace them and sing with the hymn writer:
Pass me not, O gentle Savior
Hear my humble cry
While on others Thou art calling
Do not pass me by
(Chorus)
Savior, Savior
Hear my humble cry
While on others Thou art calling
Do not pass me by
Let me at Thy throne of mercy
Find a sweet relief
Kneeling there in deep contrition
Help my unbelief
Trusting only in Thy merit
Would I seek Thy face
Heal my wounded, broken spirit
Save me by Thy grace
Thou the spring of all my comfort
More than life to me
Whom have I on earth beside Thee?
Whom in Heav’n but Thee?
Photo by Bernard Hermant on Unsplash