March 20th blog post

Being a Victorious Desert Dweller

 

 

At different points in our lives we all have desert moments we dwell in.  Those times when either struggles mount before us that we have to tackle and yet feel to weak or small to endure, or when temptations, pressures, stress, or worry accompany us and we feel weak and stagger along trying to stay focused, or all too often we may feel as if our world is thrown into chaos and a drought that leaves uncertainty has settled into our lives.

 

In each section of our reading today we encounter desert dwellers each dealing with one of these three life scenarios.  The Israelites, Jesus, and David all had a desert dwelling experience.  From each, we get a glimpse of encouragement and hope into how to face our time spent in the parched desert moments of life.

 

Each of these three had something in common, they had an enemy who presented themselves in three different ways and each was leaning on the Lord to see them through. 

 

For the Israelites it was a battle that lay before them.  They are the most famous desert dwellers and this time they didn't just have one battle to encounter, no this enemy had 5 Kings they needed to defeat.  They were an army of over 600,000 (Numbers 26:51), surely they had the strength of numbers in their favor and to give them confidence?  Not for this fight.  The Lord wanted them to lean on him, to trust in him during this desert experience and with a limited army of 12,000 they went out to meet this battle of 5 Kings head on.  What did they learn from this desert experience?  When God calls he will equip and he will supply their needs.  Not only were they victorious in conquering this enemy (all 5 Kings) but not one of the 12,000 soldiers was lost in battle, they all came home (a world record for sure). 

 

What do we learn: Trust in the power and guidance of the Lord.  When the battles we face seem big we need to remember we have a God who is so much bigger.  We should not lean on our own understanding or try and fight in our own strength.  God is enough to get us through if we trust him and let him lead us and guide us.  Nothing we face is too big for our God to lead us out of.

 

For Jesus the struggle walked with him.  Not only was temptation walking hand in hand with Jesus, it found him at his most vulnerable moment; alone, tired and hungry.  Jesus hadn't eaten in 40 day's.  I don't know about you but if I miss breakfast and lunch I'm pretty irritable by the time dinner rolls around.  Temptation after temptation was laid before Christ and not just any temptations, ones that spoke to his weaknesses at the moment. You are not at your strongest physically after fasting for 40 days.  Christ was physically empty.   He didn't have the strength to run and chase his enemy away.  All he had was the word of God to use as a weapon of defense and so he pulled it out and swung scripture at his temptations and it worked.  Jesus learned that God's word never fails, God's word is a defender and healer, God's word is able to do what we are unable to do, and God's word never leaves us nor forsakes us.  The tempter left defeat for the moment and Jesus left the desert empowered and continued on his mission.

 

What do we learn: We need to make sure that our arsenal of scripture knowledge is kept fully stocked.  Scripture is our greatest weapon against the lies and temptations that are used against us.  It is not when we are at our strongest that our enemy walks with us, no, it is when we are weak, distracted, and often times feeling alone that he comes along side of us and puts his arm around us and talks smoothly hoping that we will not recognize his crafty ways.  God knows that we have life moments that cause us to wander into the desert where we will feel weak and alone but we need to remember that he never leaves us and with his word we will always be well armed to fight against the lies and temptations that seek to keep us from God and wandering lost and alone in the desert of life.

 

For David his enemy lay behind him, having stolen his life as he knew it from him.  In our Psalm today David is in the desert of Judah and most likely this is when his son Absalom overthrew him as king.  David is a frequent desert dweller.  This time around he has lost his throne, his home, his life as he has known it.  He is in a desert of uncertainty.  It would have been easy for him to cry out to the Lord and ask for clarity or vengeance.  David knew he needed something more than earthly comfort and answers.  He chose to seek that which promises hope and always fulfills.  He sought the Lord with a longing, a thirst, a hunger, a desire to know his God, a desire to sing the praises of his God, a desire to be satisfied with his God no matter what.  David learned that life is full of constant uncertainty but his God is full of constant love, strength, satisfaction, hope, goodness, grace, and mercy.  He is a God who is unwavering and always faithful.  When the desert patches of life leave us dry and lost our God is there to be a fountain of refreshment to delight our soul and to give us reason to rejoice and sing when the world won't see a reason to even whistle a tune.  Eventually David's throne and household was restored to him and he endured because of the satisfaction he sought and received in the Lord (2 Samuel).

 

What do we learn: We will all face desert moments when our lives are thrust into uncertainty.  When the familiar and routine is but a memory.  What will our hearts thirst and hunger after?  Will we long for what was?  Will we hope for a quick return?  Or, in our desperation will we choose to turn and find our peace, our stability, our hope, our comfort, in simply looking to and knowing the God who is in control and is not worried for us.  Will we rest in the knowledge of the Lord's goodness and grace and find contentment and satisfaction in him as our joy and strength?  God never leaves us dry and parched.  In seeking him we will have all we need to endure and thrive.

 

Which desert dweller are you able to identify with most?  Each of them emerged victorious because of putting the Lord at the helm.  Trust the Lord, seek the Lord, lean on his word and find rest, comfort, satisfaction, and encouragement in him and let your name be added to list of victorious desert dwellers.