Wilderness and/or desert experiences (from a Christian viewpoint)!
Hosea 2:14
“Therefore I am now going to allure her;
I will lead her into the desert
And speak tenderly to her (Amplified adds to her heart)”.
We do go into what I refer to as a desert or wilderness experience where we are “dry” or feel isolated and alone.
For me now, I take great comfort in this verse as when I have these experiences because, God’s word clearly says “….. I will lead her/him into the desert..” notice it is not an accident or chance but God Himself has led us into this desert/wilderness place for some specific purpose!
For what purpose we may ask does it have to be a desert?
Meditating on this we realise that in the desert there is absolutely nothing! We also see that here is where there are no distractions, here God can have our full attention. When we can realise afresh He loves us that much to bring us to this place we see it differently.
Note well “I am now going to allure her…” this is an action of love (for allure the Hebrew word is akin to seduce would you believe?) We allure those we love, why? To win them over to us, to have a greater intimacy or simply to be with them and give them our FULL attention, to have a meaningful relationship. God almighty, Abba Father has us in His full focus here because of His great unconditional love for us and wants us to know Him better and to hear and recognise His voice now and in the future, and have a personal relationship with *us*!
We are not here in the desert isolated or deserted by chance or error we are here because God loves us so much He has something that only here can He get our undivided attention to speak to us, directly to our hearts and perhaps get us to completely surrender ourselves to Him totally! He alone is our food and drink as there is no other source for us here in the desert, who knows He may even send ravens to feed us and also provide a spring for us! (I will even make rivers in the desert….), (He who believes in me out of his belly streams of living waters flow… ). A total dependency on Him alone!
Here is a place of intimacy with our creator who is also our God and Bridegroom!
When we see it as a place of privilege and intimacy and not punishment, then we can say like Samuel “speak Lord your servant is listening” and Abba Father will speak tenderly directly to our heart, to affirm His love for us, to let us hear Him, the Creator say “I love you, i love you just as you are, you are so precious to me, I will never leave you nor forsake you”, and who knows what else He may whisper to our hearts in this very special and tranquil place?
We may also recall others in His word He used the desert experience to speak to: Moses, John the baptiser, Paul (3 years in Arabia) and our precious Lord and Saviour Jesus (40 days). All these were lead/called there for specific purposes, preparation and God spoke to them there. Interesting to note that after this desert/wilderness experience each one of them began an incredible, God purposed and God anointed ministry, so let us take heart when we are in the desert, He is preparing us there for His purposes and plans in the future for our future 🙂
Isaiah may also have had a clue also when he wrote ” I will even make a highway in the wilderness…”.
This loving, Abba Father who leads us into the desert will also lead us safely out of it when the time is right and we are fully prepared and ready to move out from this God appointed place. No scrambling along a sandy path, or struggling over numerous sand dunes or obstacles. He will “make a highway there”! Flat and easy to navigate, we simply walk straight in His will (so many thoughts also on that to expand at another time).
If you are in a desert experience just remember that Abba Father has unending compassion and unconditional love as well as great plans for you!
In His loving service and unconditional love, john (Abba’s Ragamuffin) xXx
11th June, 2012
jomaruk47 