"God created lands full of water
so that men may live in them -
and deserts so that they may discover their souls"
Tuareg Proverb
Deserts - long landscapes of sand,
emptiness and loneliness.
Total desolation,
Acute burning pain.
Parched lips,
Dry without water
A cry that stays in the throat.
Miles and miles of nothing.
My God, where are you?
When we struggle we enter the desert and are tempted just as Jesus was. Read Jesus' answers to the temptations dangled in front of Him when He is at his most vulnerable. These are the same answers we need to focus on when we are tempted and vulnerable.
Matthew 4:1-11
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
The devil loves the desert, he loves it when we are surrounded by oceans of sand and see no hope. He whispers lies to comfort us, to keep us in our desolation.
What does the devil like most? Despair, Hopelessness. He smells it miles away and slivers in to stir up it.
What does he hate the most? Hope, joy and singing God's praises. These choke and sting him. They dispatch him screaming with disgust.
In the desert sing to God. Bless His Holy Name. Praise God's Greatness. Proclaim Him Lord of Lords. Declare Him Majesty of your life. Bring your desert into His presence for His Victory, and watch the snake wriggle away. And bring back Hope into your life again.
Walk towards the outstretched arms of Jesus Christ our Saviour in this song - Here I am.
Allow the light of the world to step down into your darkness.
Bless the mess you are in and allow God to bring you out of the desert and into the Light. God has the Victory.
God bless
Margaret
(www.margaretk.co.uk)
Labels: deserts, God, Jesus, Matthew 4:1-11, souls, Spirit, temptations, tempter, victory, vulnerable, water, where are you?, wilderness
