A Barren Desert

I do not know how many of us have spent very much time in an actual desert, I know that I have not. I can imagine the dry air and blowing sand, the heaviness of one's feet as they journey through the barren land looking out upon a wide span of brown sameness. We do all know of the "oasis" idea that is often a mirage, but this desert I see is just simply barren.

I came across this verse today in Psalm 66, "He turned the sea into dry land; They passed through the river on foot; There let us rejoice in Him!" (verse 6) On my heart has been the journey of one in a spiritual desert. This I am sure is something each of us knows something about in our life. There can be so many words to describe this dry journey, but to sum them all would be to say it is not ideal or enjoyable, yet we persevere and endure.

Our tired feet keep treading through the sand and we continue keeping our eyes forward, seeking the vast wide-open land for an oasis. The heat will become too much for us and our parched lips will nearly cease to be able to speak. We feel the burden of becoming overtaken, rather than overcoming.

I have sat here in this place and looked back to see where my footsteps have come from, but the wind has blown them away. There is not a clear path behind or ahead, but as I came to this verse today, I felt incredibly encouraged. I am not at all claiming this verse to mean what it spoke to my heart today in application to everyone, I am just sharing a moment of God's whispering to me here in this sandy spot.

I had been in a place where the waters were rushing and although I could see the other side of where my heart longed to be and my body needed to rest, the waters were impassable. Today when I read, ""He turned the sea into dry land; They passed through the river on foot; There let us rejoice in Him!," I whispered, "Thank you Lord for this place for me to pass."

It is not one that I would have chosen for myself, but I know that You Alone are Sovereign. To me, that is my oasis in this journey. I can simply trust and keep walking. I do not need to have all the answers or even understand at this time the reason for such a long barren road, but I do need to remain steady and trust.

I know that my heart speaks the words my lips are too parched to say themselves and that the eyes of my heart see a hope my body is much too weary to feel. So thank you Lord for the dry and barren deserts that keep me humbled, close to You and dependent upon Your Sovereignty Alone. And yes, I will "rejoice in Him."