Spring has “sprung,” the birds are singing, the sun is shining (that is somehow appropriate as this week in called Bright Week in some Christian traditions). That means the list of activities has just gotten longer – weeding, lawn mowing, hole digging, etc.
We are in truly singular moment (which I hope remains singular) in history. For many of us, life feels radically different as we celebrated Resurrection Sunday virtually or only with immediate family. People are being furloughed, laid off or sent home to work virtually. Many stores are closed, some maybe to never open again. The impacts of this moment are yet to be understood. Some focus on the uncertainty – which is real, I might add (I feel it, too) – and concern over what is yet to come. Some focus on the frustration over how things are being handled. Some are celebrating the opportunity to slow down. Wherever you find yourself emotionally, which may more accurately involve vacillating back-and-forth between these, something new has happened for most of us.
I can’t help but think this must have been a little something like how the Israelites felt out in the wilderness between Egypt and Canaan. It’s worth a read or a listen (Exodus through Deuteronomy). As our experience of sequestering progresses, perhaps we can learn something from Israel’s experience. God met them in faithfulness, yet they got frustrated: with their circumstances, with their leadership, even with the blessings God gave them. We shouldn’t be hasty to condemn, instead we should take an inventory of our souls and see what similar attitudes and beliefs lurk within us.
Perhaps the better example comes from another wilderness. Jesus was in the wilderness for forty days. What did he experience? Both great challenge and great blessing! Satan tempted Jesus severely and angels ministered to him. This season of “wilderness” provides the same opportunity to us. I hope that we will take this season to examine what we really value, the patterns that we have developed and the goals we have set and dive deeply into the opportunity to meet with God and recalibrate our lives around what is truly eternal.
Pursue Christ – He is enough,
Pastor Jeff