Coming Up From The Wilderness…

"Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers. And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.—Deuteronomy 8:1-3

Beloved…The ultimate purpose of all that God does in the lives of us, as believers, is to teach us to continually depend on and place our trust in Him. Why?  Because His goal is to conform us into the image of His Son, Jesus, who, during His sojourn here on earth, depended completely on His Father in heaven. My Jesus always did the will of Him who sent Him.  I don’t know about you, but I learn this lesson way too slowly. I am so grateful that despite my failings and thickheadedness, He has promised that someday I WILL see His face in righteousness and I SHALL be satisfied when I awake in His likeness.

I love the Spirit’s words here:

So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna 

He brings each of us upon whom He has placed His seal into the wilderness.  I like to think of it as the wilderness of the Son of His love, because despite how things might look or feel to us, our God goes before us and is with us in each and every one of our wanderings.  He never leaves any of His children alone…EVER.  He keeps the tears we shed in His bottle. It is here in the desert experiences that He humbles us and tests us so that WE can know what is in our hearts. 

Beloved…It is in the variegated trials and difficulties of this life that He gets our attention. It is in trouble that we begin to crave the Bread of His Word.  It is in the difficulties that we begin to hunger and thirst after righteousness.  It is in the storms that He speaks to us and teaches us to live by faith and not by sight. It is here that He breaks us down so He can heal us.  It is here that we learn to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of our God.  

First Peter tells us that tried and tested faith is precious.  We know it is real! 

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,—1 Peter 1:4-6

We are changed as we learn to look to Him in and for all things. 

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.—2 Corinthians 3:18

I will close with this question asked by the daughters of Jerusalem…

Who is this coming up from the wilderness,

Leaning upon her beloved?—Song of Songs 8:5

Jon Courson says it best….Who is it that comes out of the wilderness leaning upon her beloved?  It’s us. We are delivered from the wilderness of this world by leaning upon our beloved—Jesus Christ.

They looked to Him and were radiant,

And their faces were not ashamed.—Psalm 34:5

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for

"God resists the proud,

But gives grace to the humble."

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.—1 Peter 5:5-6