Deuteronomy 8:2-4 (English Standard Version)
2And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. 3And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of theLORD. 4 Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years.
I guess none of us really like being in the wilderness. I feel like I've been there for most of the last few years. Yet even before this morning I've been realizing the benefits of being there. But this morning I read the above passage and my heart just started rejoicing. The Lord has and will continue to lead me in this dry land. He is humbling me and I need it. He is testing me and that is good too. You see, I've told Him I want to finish well. I see too many of my elders that just don't appear to be finishing well. It greatly saddens me. It tests my faith to believe whether or not it's possible to finish well. Well we're not going to finish well without perseverance. But the Lord has promised us everything we need for life and godliness. So why am I not seeing very many who finish well? Maybe we fight the wilderness too much. After all James 1 says we're to consider it "pure joy" when we face trials of many kinds. It builds perseverance and perseverance MUST finish it's work so that we may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
I know there is much work still to be done in me. So I thank the Lord for the wilderness. I can trust Him to feed me while I'm there. He may let me hunger for a time, but He will feed me. He will feed me with food from above. His Word. His richest fare. That which truly fills my hunger. He may let me thirst for a time, but maybe I'll get to see Him bring water from a rock. Living Water. He is glorified in the wilderness. Seems to me that most of the big miracles recorded in Scripture occur out of great need (the wilderness).
He's been patient with me while I've whined about being in the wilderness, while I've grumbled and complained. I've tried all kinds of prayers to get me out of the wilderness, and I've begged for the prayers of others. But in the wilderness I've remained. He's answering my prayer to finish well. He's recently revealed to me my lack of faith that He can actually use me for His glory in any big way. I'd limited just how much He could do through me. After all, I'm pretty messed up and selfish. He continues to teach me. He continues to provide for me. He's doing a good thing. He knows exactly where I am. I am not forgotten. He dearly loves me. He wants my best. And He wants to use me to display His splendor. I pray I will be worthy of His call. There's much work to be done.
He will clothe me with His clothing. With strength, His strength. I certainly have none of my own. With compassion. You are also dearly loved. With kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. He has told me to clothe myself with these. He has told me to be clothed with the Lord Jesus and not to even think about gratifying the desire of my flesh, those selfish desires that are still very much there. (Romans 13:14) Fulfilling those desires will never bring lasting satisfaction anyway, only destruction. He wants me to be satisfied with good things, the richest of fare. Even in the wilderness. I have tasted and seen that the Lord is good!
