The Desert Sojourn ~ Entry
Soul Snack 86/14 ... Moses lived around 3400 years ago. This elderly savior led a rambunctious group of faultfinding slaves, miraculously splashing through the Red Sea to enter the Desert of Sin on the Sinai Peninsula.
Another savior 1400 years later was also led into the desert. (This savior spent 40 days in the desert, but Moses spent 40 years with Israel.) Jesus was neither difficult nor a slave. The Holy Spirit led Him to contend with satan in the desert, as Jesus' earthly ministry began.
There are two gateways into the desert experience:
- fleeing/release from suffering or
- Holy Spirit guidance.
God's good and loving hand is perfectly behind both these desert gateways.
Within the desert both the Israelites and Jesus, God's people and God's Son met war. Both were forced to decide for obedience, only one won the battle with self.
All people suffer. Since these two events - either the flight from suffering or the guidance of the Holy Spirit has led countless others too into the desert experience, even if the trek is not sandy or in the Middle East.
Many walk today with sand under their soles, but unfortunately they only see cement.
How do you know when you have entered the desert?
- You have no control of events during suffering. You have been stripped of almost all you have; from home through to dignity, career to income and relationships to possessions.
- The glow of your Egypt has dimmed and then becomes lost. (Egypt is often your heritage, your education, your workplace and your home.)
- Suffering pursues. You see an enemy chasing but he fails.
- A seeming impossible event (maybe fear-filled) has brought you release from a place of suffering, so that you may travel to an unseen place of peace.
- You feel again the draw to return to Egypt, for slavery there had fewer privations than a sojourn through wastelands.
Are you are now in the desert, how should you then live?
The purpose of the desert is to strip (free) me of my biggest enemy, my very own and completely dedicated slave-master, me!
the Lord told Moses, ‘Go up into the Abarim Range to Mount Nebo in Moab, opposite Jericho, and view Canaan, the land I am giving the Israelites as their own possession. ... you will see the land ... I am giving to the people of Israel.’ (Deuteronomy 32:48-52)
The desert is never a destination but merely a journey.
Today's Soul Snippet:
"Sin is cheapening Jesus' ancient nails and diluting His separated blood."
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