Your Wilderness

Do you ever feel like you are walking through a wilderness? I imagine most of have at some point in our lives. Have you wondered why? Why are things not improving? Where is God?

This week in Torah portion "Ekev", we read:

Deuteronomy 8:5 (KJV)
⁵ Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.

When these words were spoken to the people of Israel, God had been recounting to a new generation how their fathers had been freed from bondage in Egypt, how they had sinned greatly in their journey through the wilderness, and how they had been punished by continuing in the wilderness for 40 years. Yet, at that time, they stood on the threshold of crossing into the Promised Land. God explained how the people needed to live as they built new homes and new lives. He explained why their fathers had had to remain in the wilderness for so long, and he gave them instructions on how they were not to forget what had happened to their fathers.

God wanted this new generation to know that their fathers had been chastened. Although this word can carry the negative connotation of punishment, God's intent was reform, or more accurately, discipline. God's Word is the Torah, which means "instruction." It is our instruction to holy living. Yet if we violate God's instructions, there are consequences. Although sometimes God punishes, His intent if for our improvement.

However, we should not think that all wilderness experiences are because of sin. Sometimes, God just needs to teach His people something that can best be learned by hard knocks.

Deuteronomy 8:2-4 (KJV)
² And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
³ And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
⁴ Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.

God is a teacher! He provided for the Israelites' every need. They had to learn to rely on Him, because there was no other help for them in the desert. He allowed this wilderness experience to humble them, to test them, and to find out where their hearts were focused. Would they love God with all their hearts, would they follow His commands, and would they trust Him? When they arrived in the Promised Land, food and resources would be in abundance. If they had not learned to follow God, in trust, during the wilderness, they would probably not follow Him during the good times.

If you are going through the wilderness, make sure there is no sin that is responsible for where you are. If there isn't any sin, trust that God has a purpose for your wilderness experience. He could be trying to teach you something. Just continue to live according to the Word of God and trust Him! He will, in His time, lead you through the wilderness safely!