Desert Training
O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
Psalm 63:1
The desert holds a special place in God's Word. The Scriptures portray the desert as a place of inspiration and exaltation - a place where people met God in a powerful new way.
For Joseph, a deep pit in the desert was the first stop on a 13-year journey through desolation and despair that happened to be a deep pit in the desert. Joseph's 13-year desert experience served to break his self-will and self-confidence. It taught him that he could not control anything and that he needed to rely on God to manage the events in his life. Joseph's desert trail prepared him by scorching the youthful pride and arrogance out of his young life so that when he was 30 years old he could rule Egypt at Pharaoh's side in a spirit of humility and servanthood.
King David wrote the sixty-third Psalm while in exile in the Desert of Judah. He was hiding there from his son Absalom, who wanted to replace him as king of Israel. Before becoming the king of Israel, David was a shepherd. Part of his training for leadership involved hand-to-claw combat wit the beasts of the wilderness, including the lion and the bear.
Elijah, too, learned the principles of spiritual leadership while in the wilderness of Gilead, and Jesus was tempted and tested for 40 days in the desert before He began to preach.
Perhaps God has given you a dream that seems to have withered and died under the scorching desert sun. Maybe it seems that God has gone away and is not listening to your prayers. But I want you to know that your dream still lives. God is with you, even if you can't see Him, hear Him or sense His presence. He is preparing you in the desert.
In His good time, He will bring you to a place of refreshment and restoration.
Reply With Quote
