Grace For Your Wilderness
Today’s Verse:
Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest. ~Jeremiah 31:2
The idea of wilderness brings to mind a place that is very large in size and where everything is wild and open. In the context of the Bible, it typically represented a desert. Deserts are arid, barren landscapes that contain cactus, desert brush, much heat, and wild animals. When you’re in the wilderness, you are concerned about the availability of water sources, food to eat, exposure to the elements, and thoughts of just wanting to go home. God speaks about His people who found grace in the wilderness.
We see the hardship.
When you are in the wilderness, you are homeless. In the wilderness setting, you are a sojourner living in a tent and moving from place to place. Homelessness means you are suffering privation and lack of settlement. When you are in the wilderness, you are hungry. Once you deplete whatever food you brought with you, you have to live off of the land. Most days, you barely make it and wind up hungry. You don’t realize how much you are in the wilderness of life until you start hungering. When you are in the wilderness, you are humbled. Time in the wilderness is a time in which God must put you through a fiery trial to deal with your pride and humble you.
We see the help.
In spite of the hardship, God says that His people found grace in the wilderness. Finding grace in the wilderness is God’s sympathy. In His grace, He comforts and encourages us. The intense heat of day and bitter cold of night move us to seek God’s face to help us. Finding grace in the wilderness is God’s supply for our need. He gives us enough, and then, He gives more. We don’t become rich and wasteful: we become resourceful and are thankful for every little blessing that God gives us. We not only experience the sympathy and supply of grace, but we experience the strength of grace. God’s grace is when His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Grace in the wilderness is “grace to help in time of need.”
We see the heart.
“The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” We experience the heart of God for us when He gives us grace in the wilderness. We see the extraordinary of His love: God loves us! He loves us in spite of our failures. He loves us because that is His nature. We see the endlessness of His love. He loves us with an everlasting love. It is not fickle or fleeting. Instead, it is faithful. Everlasting means it never runs out. It is eternal and forever. We see the exertion of His love. With lovingkindness, He draws us near and close to Him. He comes for us and brings us to Himself.
We see the homecoming.
Grace in the wilderness prepares us for our eventual homecoming. God wants us to go from the wilderness to the home that He has prepared for us. A home is where we can settle our roots, we have special relationships, we are safe, and we do not stumble. Coming home to God pictures for us the prodigal son who is welcomed by his father and given shoes, a robe to wear, a ring for his finger, and a fatted calf to celebrate his return. God uses the wilderness to purge us from sin, but to also give us a longing for coming home and having sweet fellowship with our Lord. If you’re in a wilderness, look for His grace for your life and be ready to come home!
Have a grace-filled God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Numbers 3-4