No traveler of the desert had ever correctly measured distance in this valley of shadows and hazes and illusions.”
–Zane Grey (Wanderer of the Wasteland)
“Caravans turn aside from their routes; they go off into the wasteland and perish.”
–Job 6:18 (NIV)
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There are 280 references in the Bible in regard to “the wilderness.” That does not even count the times that the term “desert,” or “rocky places,” or “mountains” are used. Wilderness places are places that God often uses. A few days ago I mentioned different types of wilderness: polar, desert, jungle, prairie, and mountain. I will also mention that there are unusual wilderness places such as the belly of a large fish, a den filled with lions, not to mention prisons of various types. One of the first and foremost things you need to do is to recognize the type of wilderness that you are in, and then understand that your soul is facing a challenge. Work through the wilderness no matter how long it takes. Do not hasten, let the Holy Spirit do His work, remember that Moses faced the wilderness for forty years before accepting his calling, then went on to live another forty years. A little side note: Moses had to first rid himself of the “civilization” that was in him.
We find ourselves in the wilderness for various reasons. I mentioned that the woman Hagar was using the wilderness as a means of escape. Trying to escape she placed herself in possible danger. We are not told how far into the wilderness she fled, but it was one of those “woe is me” attempts. Our wilderness may come because we are trying to escape; we feel sorry for ourselves, and we do not want to submit to the hand of the Lord. Some people run from job to job, never secure, and never realizing what they are doing. They are in a wilderness and do not even recognize it. How will they stumble through life?
Maybe it is time you take inventory and check your situation. Maybe you are continually unsatisfied with your work, just bouncing around, or grumbling and complaining. Perhaps the Lord is trying to get your attention and you’re not listening, but murmuring against what He is attempting to do with your life. Maybe you are running to the wilderness of materialism to satisfy your needs, something, anything, to satisfy that longing. You need to stop, look around, access the situation, recognize the problem or you will find that this wilderness of the soul will continue on until the end of life.
I said there may be unusual types of wilderness experiences. Some may retreat into the wilderness of loneliness. They hide from others not trying to find their way out. They cover their heads, like an ostrich in the sand, hoping, wishing, that it will go away–but it won’t. We have to work out of the wilderness. Children may run to the wilderness of their rooms. When scolded or disciplined they want a refuge, but instead and not realizing it, what they have really done is to enter a wilderness. The danger here is that they could wander their entire lives, becoming lazy bums, couch potatoes, and welfare recipients. They may not be fortunate like Hagar to find a spring nearby. They may hide under their pillow and not hear the voice of the Lord.
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There are 280 references in the Bible in regard to “the wilderness.” That does not even count the times that the term “desert,” or “rocky places,” or “mountains” are used. Wilderness places are places that God often uses. A few days ago I mentioned different types of wilderness: polar, desert, jungle, prairie, and mountain. I will also mention that there are unusual wilderness places such as the belly of a large fish, a den filled with lions, not to mention prisons of various types. One of the first and foremost things you need to do is to recognize the type of wilderness that you are in, and then understand that your soul is facing a challenge. Work through the wilderness no matter how long it takes. Do not hasten, let the Holy Spirit do His work, remember that Moses faced the wilderness for forty years before accepting his calling, then went on to live another forty years. A little side note: Moses had to first rid himself of the “civilization” that was in him.
We find ourselves in the wilderness for various reasons. I mentioned that the woman Hagar was using the wilderness as a means of escape. Trying to escape she placed herself in possible danger. We are not told how far into the wilderness she fled, but it was one of those “woe is me” attempts. Our wilderness may come because we are trying to escape; we feel sorry for ourselves, and we do not want to submit to the hand of the Lord. Some people run from job to job, never secure, and never realizing what they are doing. They are in a wilderness and do not even recognize it. How will they stumble through life?
Maybe it is time you take inventory and check your situation. Maybe you are continually unsatisfied with your work, just bouncing around, or grumbling and complaining. Perhaps the Lord is trying to get your attention and you’re not listening, but murmuring against what He is attempting to do with your life. Maybe you are running to the wilderness of materialism to satisfy your needs, something, anything, to satisfy that longing. You need to stop, look around, access the situation, recognize the problem or you will find that this wilderness of the soul will continue on until the end of life.
I said there may be unusual types of wilderness experiences. Some may retreat into the wilderness of loneliness. They hide from others not trying to find their way out. They cover their heads, like an ostrich in the sand, hoping, wishing, that it will go away–but it won’t. We have to work out of the wilderness. Children may run to the wilderness of their rooms. When scolded or disciplined they want a refuge, but instead and not realizing it, what they have really done is to enter a wilderness. The danger here is that they could wander their entire lives, becoming lazy bums, couch potatoes, and welfare recipients. They may not be fortunate like Hagar to find a spring nearby. They may hide under their pillow and not hear the voice of the Lord.