desert wonderings

In defense of the desert: A lot of people that live there have pools. Ha. Actually, it just occurred to me that I actually DID live in a desert for awhile. A lot of redemptive names going on in the desert: "Oasis of Hope", "Desert Springs", etc. (Hermiston feel free to chime in.)

I've been kicking around this desert theme for a few months now, originally taking off from the verse in Hosea 2:14 "Therefore I am going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor (Trouble) a door of hope. There she will sing as in the days of her youth...." --God

At first this tender speaking was surprising to me. Like Hosea's wayward wife and God's wayward Israel, I didn't believe I deserved it. Read: earned it. In other words, my religious mindset was screaming but God was so sweet. So He spoke to me of love and grace and hope and mysteries.

About two months ago, I read some internet "word" by Frank Viola about the desert. It's been awhile since I read it, but three things were seared into my spirit. I'm going to number them so that he gets credit, but know that I have taken these and expounded....

1) You don't settle in the desert. I'm listing this one first as a kind of disclaimer, because of all of the fun that I'm managing to have in this desert. But the point is: The desert is not our inheritance, it's the Promised Land! The temple was not built in the desert, the milk and honey was not in the desert. Eyes on the prize! We must look ahead and not settle.

So: how did some of us get here? We were either led here by the Spirit, or it was sprung on us. I really don't think anyone chooses the desert, but it does have it's purpose.
John the Baptist, Luke 1:80 "And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel." I like the fact that it's 1:80. As in: Do an aboutface.
John's message was "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand." Repent is often defined as going in the opposite direction. I like Bill Johnson's take: "Change your way of thinking." (see note: irony alert)

Jesus himself was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. The Israelites escaped Egypt, only to be pursued, then crossed the Red Sea and watched its same waters drown the Egyptians, only to find themselves in: the wilderness. (These two words are interchangable...Strongs 4057) God had mentioned the Promised Land, but sprung on them: the desert. Desert Springs.
Why the desert?

2) The desert is where we get detoxed of religion. First example being the Israelites. They needed to get the slavery out of them before they could handle the freedom of the Promised Land. Evidentally it took a whole generation dying off. THIS IS SERIOUS!!!! We REALLY need to "change our mind" about some things. I'm not gonna say what because I don't know, could be different for everyone. But! Evidentally of the "best of the best" from each tribe, only two (Caleb and Joshua) believed God at his word despite the signs, wonders and miracles they had seen.

The second example: Paul. Formerly a Christian-killing Pharisee named Saul, this guy spent 3 years in (you guessed it) the desert (Gal 1:17-18) before meeting with the other apostles. I would guess the Lord spoke tenderly to him there, revealing the amazing message of grace to this religious man and it took three years in Arabia to accomplish this. I'm sure he needed to detox from a lot of religion.

As I said earlier, I was surprised by the amount of the religious spirit I had.

3) In the desert, you eat manna. Manna is a type of Jesus. John 6:30-35: "So they asked him, 'What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' Jesus said to them, 'I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.' 'Sir,' they said, 'from now on give us this bread.' Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life.' "

The religious people were asking for a sign, and then saw that there was something better: Bread from heaven. A caution, then, would be not to grow so used to the Manna, like the Israelites did and go back to sign-seeking. (If you know me, you know I love signs, and they surely follow those who believe, not the other way around.) It's all about Jesus and the Manna is such beautiful provision. It reminds me of the Delirious? song: "Most of all, I love to hear Your Voice O God."

Manna was the Hebrew word for "What is it?" In other words, while you're in the desert, ask questions! "Call to me and I will answer you and I will show you great and unsearchable things you do not know." --God. This is of course a promise to all, but there's something beautiful about desert desperation and provision and the closeness of Jesus.

I'll conclude with this: The desert is not our destiny, but sometimes we must go through the desert to get to it. While we don't necessarily like "process", God uses a whole bunch of processes to produce strong-spirited sons who "who so love the people in this world". The kingdom is at hand, the Spirit is our guide, Jesus is Faithful and True and our Father is very, very good. Taste and see.