Hope in the Desert

"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight."

Proverbs 3:5-6

"If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast."

Psalm 139:9-10

The desert is where we lose ourselves, only to rediscover ourselves. The desert is a frightening place; a place full of danger; mid-day heat; night-time coldness. The desert calls out to us in its barren beauty, while at the same time intimidates us with the loudness of its silence. Massive rocks jut up out of the sandy floor; rocks that are embroidered with cadnium reds, rich grays, and Sapphire wrinkles. These desert rocks have witnessed the history of ages past. These are the same rocks that listened to the Children of Israel cry out against God. They are the same rocks that yielded water to Moses at Merribah. They are the same rocks, stacked as ancient Bedouin toombs long before Father Abraham walked the earth.

The desert is the place where the Ru ah (the breath of God) stirs the timeless space of creation. This is the place where the Shroud of God settled on the mighty crag of Horeb, and his glorious voice thundered down upon the Israelites.

The desert is a place in which we come face to face with those wicked demons that seek to disrupt and bring pain and sorrow to our lives. Yet, the desert is where we learn to face these elusive devils and discover the peace which comes from listening to the still, quiet voice of God.

Listen for that voice! It rides upon the arid winds of the desert. God's voice is found in the often uncomfortable hot and stagnant air, or on the blustery sand storms that arise out of nowhere. God's word is light and unencumbered, while at the same time heart changing and transformative. In the desert times of life God's voice calls out to us and meets us in the solitude and stillness. Be still then, and know God. He will guide us down whatever paths we travel, making them straight, while holding us fast.