Wilderness

Wilderness, wilds, rough country, backwoods, wasteland, boondocks; all definitions of the place many of us find our own spirit dwelling.  That lonely, harsh place we would never have chosen on our own is right where we are. Think about your wasteland, and then examine the truth about it.

A wilderness is a place without roads, paths or trails.  It is a region devoid of the civilizing conventions we are used to seeing.  A wasteland has no friendly wayside inns or tourist kiosks.  It is rough, it is tangled, and it is daunting.  Those who seek out the wilderness prepare for the journey.  What is necessary to live must be carried with them or the explorer must know how to survive off the land itself.  The explorer must know how to traverse the unknown territory, what to watch out for, what to avoid.   In short, a journey into a wilderness is not a journey to be taken lightly or flippantly; because the cost of failing is very high.

When Jesus journeyed into the wilderness, He had just come from being baptized by his cousin, John the Baptist.  His baptism was followed by the descent of the Holy Spirit on Him and the vocal declaration by God that Jesus was indeed His beloved Son and was well pleasing to Him.   Well pleasing; it is a very encouraging affirmation, isn’t it? This very public display by God demonstrated the love and relationship in the Godhead.   It was after this open, heartening expression by God that Jesus went into the wilderness.

From Luke we learn that Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit, and that the Spirit led Him around in the wilderness.  The Spirit did not just lead Him to the wilderness; He remained with Jesus during the journey through the wilderness.  The lonely, deserted place; the place without direction or comfort; the place where Jesus followed the lead of the Spirit, and the Spirit stayed with Him through it. Remember this, the place was a desert but Jesus was not deserted.

What, then, is your wilderness?  Is it the desert of unanswered prayer?  Is it the lonely land of sorrow and loss? Is it the desolate land of dashed hopes?  Do you know that the same spirit that led Jesus in the wilderness is ready and willing to lead you?  The lonely places are often the easiest places to see the Spirit, you have only to watch and wait.  He leads any who ask and is a kind and trustworthy guide. 

Look at the example from the experience of Jesus in His wilderness.  The Spirit led him around for the entire forty days.  What does that tell you?  The Spirit is not going to bail out on you; He is there for all the time it takes.   In addition, He knows the way. He has the map and can surely lead you to the best place, the place where God wants you.  And as He leads, He speaks words of comfort and encouragement.  He gives wisdom for the decisions that need to be made along the way.

 

Observe, also, that the Spirit did not desert Jesus when the devil showed up to tempt Him.  In the time of need, the Spirit remained with Him.  And the Spirit will remain with each of us. This is what we know from scripture; it is what we learn from the eighth chapter of Romans, namely that through the Spirit we are adopted and children of God.  From 1Corinthians 3 we learn that the Spirit resides in us.  And we learn from Ephesians 2 that we have access to the Father through the Spirit.  All of these truths serve to keep us focused on the One leading us, and our position as the Father’s own possession, His child. 

These truths are the undergirding of the Spirit’s leading.  It is these that give us the assurance that we will arrive just where we are supposed to be.  Because the way of the wilderness is not easy, we need to keep these truths near to us, so that we can remind ourselves of them when the wilderness closes in.   By its very nature it is wild, untamed, and feral.  It is a dangerous place, so preparation is essential.  We must trust the guide and trust the journey.  So knowing what is true from scripture and keeping it as our treasure is the best tool we can carry on the rough journey.

Even as we must rely on the Word, Jesus leaned on the truth of the Word of God when the devil tempted Him.  Relying on what was true, each temptation was thwarted by the truth of God. Jesus was prepared, knowing the Word and knowing the Father.  Each step of His, in the wilderness, was guided by the Spirit. Every mile through the wasteland was directed by the Father.  Any conflict was blocked by the Word of God.

Like Jesus’ journey through the wilderness, ours will be difficult even treacherous at times.  But like Him we must let the Spirit lead us through.  For that is what the truth tells us; we are being lead through the wilderness. We are not destined to remain there, we are destined for Heaven.