Following In The Wilderness

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 (English Standard Version)

---

When God led Israel out of Egypt, He led them with a cloud – a puffy one at day and a fiery one at night. “... the cloud lifted... and the cloud settle down in the wilderness...” (Numbers 10:11-12). It was impossible to miss God’s leading. The people’s problem was not lack of direction, it was lack of trusting God as they went. Sometimes we are like that, especially when He leads us into the wilderness.

It is wonderful when God leads us into green pastures beside still waters (Psalm 23:2), but at times He leads us into the wilderness, just as His Spirit led Jesus there (Mark 1:12). Sometimes we end up in the wilderness due to our own stupidity, but sometimes it is because God sent us. Regardless of the reason, to benefit we must embrace the wilderness, not fight against it. Embrace it because a loving God who is all wise and all powerful is leading, and will cause all things to work for our good when we surrender to Him. Ponder that. – David

---

"Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:35-39 NLT)