I initially didn't plan for every blog post in this wilderness study to have a backpacking tie in. But since the idea has shown up in the previous two posts and I that it'll be in a few later posts I'm going to work it into all of them. The idea of backpacking is to load everything into a large backpack (unless you're into the ultra light thing) in order to hike and camp in the wilderness. So in many ways it really does fit.
I've only been on one backpacking trip so far in my life. Back in July 2010 one of my brothers and I went up to Sleeping Bear Dunes in the north west corner of Michigan's lower peninsula. We had planned to have three full days up there and to hike the 36 mile lake shore between two bays. We got up there a little later than we planned and then had to change our hiking plan because the only way from the end point back to the car was to walk, which we didn't have time for.
We actually ended up being there only a day and a half. We packed heavy since it was a short trip, but by the end of the second day we were both beat and ready to go home. The trip didn't go at all like we planned. The we had an idea about how we would spend three days, and nothing went according to plan.
And as I think about that trip my mind goes to the third Biblical man who was blessed during the time he spent in the wilderness, Moses. I don't think Moses ever planned to spend any time in the wilderness. In every movie I've seen Moses is portrayed as a pampered prince of Egypt. Scripture doesn't give us any details about Moses' time in the palace, but I imagine that he never expected what happened in his life.
After killing an Egyptian he is forced to flee to the wilderness where he spends the next forty years of his life. He is taken in by the people of Midian, marries a girl, settles down and has a family. My guess is that he planned to spend the rest of his life there. And then one day something catches his eye.
Up on the mountain there is a bush that is on fire, but not burning up. He turns aside to investigate this wonder, and then the voice of God begins to speak to him. He is told that he is God's chosen man to lead Israel out of slavery and into the Promised Land. He tries to talk God out of it, and God continues to equip Moses for the task, giving him signs to perform and sending his brother Aaron with him.
Moses then returns to Egypt, confronts Pharaoh, warns about the ten plagues, and finally leads the people out of Egypt, back into the desert he has spent four decades in. During this second forty years in the wilderness God works through him to part the Red Sea, provide water for the people, and deliver the Law to them. Moses speaks with God face to face, and is even allowed to see God's back. In the story of Moses we see that the wilderness is a place to receive.
Moses received a wife and sons in the wilderness. Moses received his call from God while in the wilderness. Moses received power to fulfill the mission God gave him while in the wilderness. Moses received blessing after blessing from God as he lead the people through the wilderness. The wilderness is a place to receive.
I think it is during time in the wilderness that the call on each of our lives is clarified. During the wilderness we have the opportunity to learn skills that will help us lead others in the wilderness later in life. During the wilderness we can receive a deeper intimacy with God than ever before.
What is God trying to give you? What do you need to receive during your time in the wilderness? Take advantage of the time that you have there, and use it to prepare for what is to come. When he left the wilderness Moses faced one of, if not the at the time, most powerful men in the world. He lead millions of people through the wilderness for four decades, and helped them learn how to trust and worship God.
God is trying to equip and focus you during your wilderness time. See it as the blessing, and receive all that He is trying to give you.
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
No comments:
Post a Comment