In The Desert
Today I happen to be spending some time visiting with with close friends who live in the desert near Phoenix, It just so happened that this morning during my devotion time the Lord revealed to me how amazing and beautiful, the dessert truly is. As one drives through or flies over the desert it is a truly foreboding view, little visible water or life, extreme temperatures, and quite honestly rather mundane and foreboding in . After a few short miles of seeing the same cacti and rock formations, often sprinkled with a limited variety of tress and brush, one soon begins to zone out so to speak, and seek some other form of stimulation. However this morning as I sat in the quiet it became so apparent that the desert (or at least this one) is truly full of life, so much so it can be overwhelming. As I slowed down and began to pay attention I quickly became enveloped in a morning song of joy and excitement. The quail were calling to one another, beckoning others to join them in their trek for daily sustenance, rabbits ran to and fro doing well whatever it is rabbits do. The coyotes foraging and waiting for an unwary prey were scurrying across the hillside,and all the while a hawk flew overhead as if taking it all in, and to think, I almost missed this.
You see I had just completed my devotions and was having a rather indignant rant with the Lord about how I needed to hear from Him, about somehow He had become silent these last few days. “Last night was a terrible night” I cried out in frustration, every dream I had of Dawn only made me miss her more, there was no encouragement my dreams only pain and restlessness, “where are You!”? My life these days feels very much like I am in the desert at times, more like walking through it without water than driving through in an air conditioned automobile. In order to stop and hear today I must first look beyond my pain, my fears, my hunger, and so much more. I know many of you out there can relate, maybe not in the sense of the loss of your spouse and your children's mother, yet many challenges we face can cause us to feel as if we are in the desert or a dry place. Our natural tendency is to get so caught up in our pain and needs that we become so angry at God for not doing what we want that we couldn't hear Him. On this morning I realized just that very thing you see It was only when I stopped my ranting and began to listen that I noticed the excitement and joy taking place a round me. It was then that I began to hear His voice in the stillness of my heart, it was then that I began to understand and realize that I was not alone. Considering the circumstances it would be extremely easy for me to drown out the voice of God with the challenges of the day, so noisy and busy complaining that I had surely muffled His voice. So busy griping about the loss of Dawn that I never honor her memory by obeying God, so hung up on my needs that I miss His call and command, so self centered that He is no longer the center but rather outside the circle of influence.
Yes many of us are in a desert, both figuratively and literally, yes it feels dry, uncomfortable, and rather unappealing, yet all I can and must do is slow down and take the time to listen, then and only then will the purpose be revealed. Won't you join me in taking in the beauty of the little things, and may we overcome our flesh long enough to be refreshed by he one who made it.
Gene Burroughs
Pastor Shasta Lake Church
