God's Wilderness

I have only been in a real wilderness one time. It was part of a trip to the Holy Land. It was Massada – site of Herod's Temple and Jewish sacrifice. A vast, gorgeous sandbox. Yes. An important holy and historic site. Yes. To tell you the truth, it wore thin. By the time I left, there was sand in my eyes, sand on my clothes, sand in my hair. I felt like I had been eating sand. The wilderness is no picnic. Food is limited. Water is hard to find, not to mention how isolating it is. The wilderness takes you out of your comfort zone – separates you from what is familiar. It is hard to adjust. Welcome to the wilderness of 2020. A time to create distance, to isolate. A time when water flies off the shelves. A time when nothing seems familiar and we are out of our comfort zones. But you know – no matter how isolated you feel. No matter how isolated you are – you are not alone. God loves you. God loves you and proves it by sending Christ to die for you. And THAT – that is the hope in the wilderness. (If you are feeling anxious or depressed, Text PA to 741-741 to get help 24/7.)