Into the Wilderness
For 26 years God has given me the gift of taking people into the wilderness to deepen their relationship with Him. The wilderness is a powerful place of distraction-free reprieve and preparation. I have been doing this since 1992, but God has been calling people to the wilderness for a lot longer than that.
Moses spent time in the wilderness before returning to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. God called Moses from the wilderness and equipped him for the task ahead (Exodus 2-4). The Israelites spent time in the wilderness on their journey to the Promised Land and received the laws, festivals, and sacrifices required to be the people of God—all described for us in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The Apostle Paul spent time in the wilderness before he began his powerful ministry (Galatians 1). Jesus often went to the wilderness to meet with His Father. “But He would withdraw to desolate places and pray” (Luke 5:16 ESV). The wilderness has long been a place of preparation and calling.
Our everyday life is fraught with burdens and distractions that frequently take our eyes off our King. It is tremendously difficult to discern the will and leading of God and impossible to listen when we are not paying attention. However, when we place our focus on God and carefully study the scriptures, our purpose becomes clear. A clearly understood direction is key to living in humble confidence. This is how we embrace the abundant life Christ died for us to have – a zealous life of purpose and joy. In Matthew 14, Jesus calls Peter out of the boat to walk on the water. Peter obeys and steps out in faith. With his attention entirely on Jesus, Peter indeed walks on water. However, the turbulence around him took his attention away from Jesus and he began to sink.
Sneaking away into the wilderness is more than just an adventure. Giving God our undivided attention in a place free of the tempestuous life we live is vital to understanding Him, and His call on our lives. These are the moments when God’s call comes into focus.
The real adventure isn’t found in the wilderness experience, but rather the life to which God calls us and for which He prepares us during that time spent in desolate places. Let’s go! Abundant life awaits!
Praiseallujiah!
Jon
