The Wilderness

“Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.” (Hosea 2:14 )

I was reading an article recently by a Messianic Jew who was explaining the derivation of the Hebrew word ‘midbar’ which means wilderness. It actually comes from the root word ‘davar’ which means to speak.

A wilderness is not an inviting place. It certainly would not be a popular holiday destination. We describe a wilderness with words like ‘barren, hot, uninviting, forbidding and parched’. But as the writer points out, there is something important missing from the wilderness; it is devoid of distractions.

One of the devil’s devices that he uses to keep us from God is to fill our lives with distractions. These come in many shapes and forms. Some are legitimate, everyday necessities. Some are related to leisure, and many are just time wasters. Throughout all of this, God is trying to speak to us, trying to draw us closer to himself. But sometimes, the distractions shout so loudly in our ears that we can’t hear the still small voice that is calling to us.

For this reason, God allows wilderness seasons to come in to our life, seasons where the distractions cease, and we are alone with Him and He can speak to us. For many people this last year has been like that. Many of the old distractions have been stripped away as we have found ourselves cut off from friends, family, church and, in many cases work. God has brought us into a wilderness, and many have found that in this season that the ‘midbar’ has become a place of precious union and communion with God. There will be many people who will never be the same after this time in the wilderness. Some lives have been permanently changed. In the wilderness, like Moses and Elijah, they have met with God.

This ‘midbar’ season will end, sooner or later. Meanwhile, enjoy what God is doing and let it be a time of renewing and refreshing. Don’t lose this opportunity. Find out what God wants to speak to you about during your time in the ‘midbar’.

‘Solitude with God repairs the damage done by the fret and noise and clamour of the world’.
​Oswald Chambers

Pauline