Do you have family or friend stories you remember – and laugh about – when you get together? Stories about when things didn’t go as planned, or when someone, perhaps you, did something that seems even funnier years after the fact? Here’s an example. I was in a store with a friend, more looking than shopping. I saw a bottle of shampoo that had my name on it! So, I grabbed it up and turned to her, loudly proclaiming, “Look, they named a shampoo after me!” Except it didn’t say “Denise.” It said it was for DENSE hair. That was thirty years ago … and at some point in any conversation we have, she will refer to me as “Dense.” Truth hurts sometimes.
I wonder if there isn’t a little bit of that in the story of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness after leaving Egypt.
“Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart.” (Deuteronomy 8:2).
If you’ve ever driven somewhere unfamiliar and heard your GPS calmly (or in my imagination, snippily) announce, “Recalculating route,” you know the feeling. You were sure you were heading in the right direction. Then suddenly, apparently, you’re not.
The Israelites might appreciate that feeling. After their dramatic escape from Egypt, they probably expected a quick, direct route to the Promised Land. Instead, they found themselves spending years wandering in the wilderness. Years. Not days. Not a long weekend. Years of sand, uncertainty, complaints, and learning to trust God one day at a time. And, if we look at a map, the wilderness wasn’t really that big. Forty years wandering around in an area about half the size of the entire state of Indiana.
To be fair, they didn’t always handle it particularly well. They complained about the food. They complained about the lack of water. They complained about Moses. They weren’t always thrilled with God. And, as they complained, they wandered … with their GPS constantly chirping at them, “Recalculating route.”
It’s easy to smile and shake our heads at them until we realize how much we resemble them. We like plans. We like destinations, timelines, and directions. But sometimes we find ourselves in a wilderness season, when it seems like answers or relief will never come. And, so, we complain. We forget that God is still with us and still trying to lead us.
Yet Deuteronomy tells us something remarkable. God was doing something during those frustrating, frightening wilderness years; The wilderness was a classroom. It revealed what was in their hearts. It taught dependence. It formed them into a people capable of living in freedom.
Sometimes God’s greatest work happens in seasons that feel like detours. The wilderness may not be where we want to stay, but it’s often where we learn to trust.
And the good news is this: we may wander, we may ponder, but we’re never abandoned. The pillar of cloud remains. The manna keeps coming. God stays present even when the path seems unclear.
If you find yourself in a wilderness season today, take heart. God isn’t lost, even if you feel a little turned around … or are being a little dense.
Prayer: Faithful God, when life feels uncertain and the path is unclear, help me trust that you are leading me. Look into my heart and teach me what I need to learn in this season. Remind me that your presence is with me even in the wilderness. Give me patience, courage, and faith for the journey ahead. Amen.
