We just didn’t have much give-up in us. We always kept plugging away.”
–Louis L’Amour (The Lonely Men)
“So then, brace up and reinvigorate and set right your slackened and weakened and drooping hands and strengthen your feeble and palsied and tottering knees.”
–Hebrews 12:12 (AMPC)
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Friend, what type of wilderness have you found yourself in today? Are you weak, struggling, wondering? Remember, there is, like the words of the song:
“One more river to cross,
One more mountain to climb,
One more valley that I got to go through…”
–Dottie Rambo
Or maybe you are traveling down that long, lonesome highway. We get tired, no matter what type of journey and wilderness we are traveling through. Weariness comes our way, and we wonder if we can lift the tired feet one more step. The drudgery of life may be getting to you; tired of the same old thing. Over and over again life seems to come at you. There are two keys to overcoming. The first is–you can take one more step. Second, you must trust in the Lord. Even in the midst of fatigue, in the midst of the wearisome travel, trust in the Lord.
Take a moment, take a deep sigh, and then think of the reasons why you want to quit. Why are you weary? Why are you discouraged and despondent? Are there any survival skills you have neglected, especially spiritual? Maybe you’re not into the Word enough. Perhaps your prayer life has dwindled.
Not all wilderness travels are dry, but the wilderness is often associated with the wasteland. Many times when we find ourselves in the wilderness, it is because our souls are dry, yearning for the cool water of the Spirit to quench our thirst, to bathe us. Many people are like those being led by Moses. Their lives are dependent upon the water holes; from one water hole to the next. Water is essential for life. If not following the Guide, they may start to wander; they may find themselves lost.
It is not hard to get lost in a strange region. I have always been amazed how those that lived in this land during those hard-fought pioneer days moved around without maps and found their way. But for everyone who was able to do that, there was one poor soul lost in the wasteland. When this happens one of the most important things to do is look for landmarks. Get them pinpointed in your mind and do not stray from them. To be lost is a frightful thing. The landmarks are there to guide you to the next water hole; those areas of rest and refreshment.
Keep moving; now is not the time to stall out on your journey. Lift your tired feet, move those fatigued legs and keep going one step after another. Look up to find the landmarks that point the way to water. “Landmarks!” you cry, “I don’t see the landmarks!” Hopefully, you are holding a Bible in your hands as you read this. In that Bible there are landmarks to guide you through the wilderness that may appear in your life. Clear your mind from listening to false reports and blind trails and remember the promises that God has given you. Add those promises to your prayers.
Learning how to travel is of tremendous importance to the stranger in the desert wilderness. The oppressive sun is always a threat. The sometimes overwhelming desire just to stop the wandering, to lie down and quit. No! Keep plodding forward toward the distant peaks, those landmarks. The peak is a guide; on the way you’ll find water. You’ll make it if you don’t quit!
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Today in the Texas Revolution: Houston orders Martin, Baker, and Seguin to guard his retreat delaying Santa Anna’s army from crossing the Brazos River.