WILDERNESS COMMUNION

 I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. (Hosea 2:14) 

The goodness of God sees us allured by sin, and it resolves to try upon us the more powerful allurements of love. Do we not remember when the Lover of our souls first cast a spell upon us and charmed us away from the fascinations of the world! He will do this again and again whenever He sees us likely to be ensnared by evil. 

He promises to draw us apart, for there He can best deal with us, and this separated place is not to be a paradise, but a wilderness, since in such a place there will be nothing to take of our attention from our God. In the deserts of affliction the presence of the Lord becomes everything to us, and we prize His company beyond any value which we set upon it when we sat under our own vine and fig tree in the society of our fellows. Solitude and affliction bring more to themselves and to their heavenly Father than any other means. 

When thus allured and secluded the Lord has choice things to say to us for our comfort. He "speaks to our heart," as the original has it. Oh, that at this we may have this promise explained in our experience! Allured by love, separated by trial, and comforted by the Spirit of truth, may we know the Lord and sing for joy!—Charles Spurgeon - Faith’s Checkbook. 

Because They Trust in Him…

 For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me," says the LORD.'"—Jeremiah 39:18

And they were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them, for they cried out to God in the battle. He heeded their prayer, because they put their trust in Him.—1 Chronicles 5:20

And the LORD shall help them and deliver them;

He shall deliver them from the wicked,

And save them,

Because they trust in Him.—Psalm 37:40

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,

And whose hope is the LORD.

For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,

Which spreads out its roots by the river,

And will not fear when heat comes;

But its leaf will be green,

And will not be anxious in the year of drought,

Nor will cease from yielding fruit.—Jeremiah 17:7-8

When are we most protected?  When are we in the very center of the will of God? The answer is when we walk through this world depending on and trusting Him.

The verses above as I read them this morning caused my heart to look back and see the people, circumstances and situations over the course of my life that I, by His mercy, had no choice but to give to Him in complete surrender.

Today I see the evidence of things I couldn’t see then. 

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.—Hebrews 11:1

Today, I know that none of the good I see in my life is of me but is completely and utterly of Him. In Him is where my fruit is not only found but abounds as well. The only thing I did was the only thing I COULD do…cling to my God.  Truly, I had no other choice. As it turns out, it was also the only thing that was necessary. Oh how gracious and kind is our God to make the only thing necessary be the only choice that I had.

Beloved…He is your way of escape. Bring your broken heart to Him and rest in His love and His care. There is a beautiful and protecting power that accompanies trust in God because it is when we trust Him that…

He can do exceedingly abundantly in our lives.

He brings beauty from ashes…

He turns our sorrow to joy…

And our mourning to dancing…

He gives us the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness

It is when we trust Him that His comforts and consolations will multiply and abound.  

His goal…

That “we” may be called trees of righteousness,

The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."

None of us…all of Him

Truly, there is a sweetness beyond compare in simply asking your Father in heaven to undertakefor you. And who better to trust than Your Creator. No one has ever or ever will trust Him in vain. They who look to Him are radiant and their faces unashamed. God's care for those that are His is sure. Spurgeon says that He, Himself, is the guardian of the gracious and that under His sacred wing there is safety even when every danger is abroad.  

One of my own favorite prayers in this regard is very short and originates in Scripture.

Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am weak; undertake for me!

Beloved…Believe God. Take hold of this promise and watch Him deliver again and again and again.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your paths.—Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD, and do good;

Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

Delight yourself also in the LORD,

And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD,

Trust also in Him,

And He shall bring it to pass.

He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,

And your justice as the noonday.

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him;

Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,

Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;

Do not fret—it only causes harm—Psalm 37:3-8

But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;

He is their strength in the time of trouble.

And the LORD shall help them and deliver them;

He shall deliver them from the wicked,

And save them,

Because they trust in Him.—Psalm 37:39-40

I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;

For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.—Psalm 4:8

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;

Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;

Let those also who love Your name

Be joyful in You.

For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous;

With favor You will surround him as with a shield.—Psalm 5:11-12