Gift of the Desert Road.

I'm sure everyone already knows the greatness that is the StuffChristiansLike blog, but in case you don't, you should do yourself a favor and check it out... now. I haven't read a blog of his that I haven't enjoyed but today's blog was like a perfectly timed gift.

It offers a new and empowering perspective on why we might be traveling on the "desert road." We're not there because God is mad at us, or because we have done something wrong, or because we're still not good enough, but because God loves us so much he is protecting us from a war (a situation) we're not quite ready for.

"...In the midst of those questions, in the midst of being wildly impatient and selfish and arrogant and a million other words that mean "whack," I feel like God reminded me of a simple question,"Why do you keep refusing the gift of the desert road?"

That's kind of a weird question, but it comes out of some verses I've written about before. In Exodus 13: 17-18, as the Israelites are leaving Egypt, the Bible says:When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, "If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt."

So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle.I love the simplicity of that. God knew that if the Israelites took the short way, if they took what probably seemed like the logical route, they'd face a war they weren't ready for and would probably willingly return to slavery. So out of love, out a deep, big love for His people, he took them on the desert road.

As an Israelite, having spent decades doing hardcore physical labor and leading the kind of manual labor lifestyle that puts the P90X exercise program to shame, you'd have to be thinking, "What? I'm armed for battle! The desert road? Seriously? Look at this sword, I've got skillz! Let's take the short way and give the Philistines two tickets to the gun show.

I promise that they probably felt a little confused at why they were on the desert road and maybe at some point in your own life, you've felt that way too. Maybe you've felt ready for something and for some reason instead found yourself taking the long way around.I don't know what your "thing" is.

Maybe you want to fall in love and get married.
Maybe you're at a job that doesn't use your God-given talents and you feel desperate to get out.
Maybe you want to start a ministry.
Maybe you don't know what your thing is, but you know it's not what you're doing right now.
Maybe you want to have kids.Maybe you want to head out to the mission field overseas.

Your thing, your dream or goal or vision could be a million different things, and when it doesn't happen, when it takes longer than we want, it's so easy to get frustrated. To get disappointed, to think that the time delay is because maybe you're not doing something right. Maybe God is mad at you. Maybe if you were a better Christian things would be happening faster and you wouldn't be on a desert road.But what if that's not right?

What if God loves you too much to send you to war? What if He loves you too much to throw you into situations you're not ready for?What if that desert road is a gift?I still struggle with the desert road concept. I'm not "done" with that idea.

But my hope for you and my hope for me is that the next time I find myself on one I'll pause long enough to ask God this simple question:"I'm on a desert road, what war are you protecting me from right now because you love me so much?”

At least I'm not the only one.

Maybe it's not quite like this but David knows what's up.

Psalm 43:4-5 ... Yeah that's where it's at right now.

This verse, along with about 15 other verses, is written on an index card and sitting in on my desk right now. I keep them there as a 'proactive' way to remind myself that God is who He says He is, and no matter what my life looks like He loves me more than I can ever realize and will always take care of me, especially when I don't deserve it.

Psalm 43 captures almost all of the emotions I'm currently expeirencing, and pretty much in that order.

David:
" For you are God, my only safe haven... Why must I wander around in grief," v.2

Es:
I agree.

David:
"Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me." v.3

Es:
Ready and willing.

David:
"There I will go to the altar of God, to God—the source of all my joy." v.4

Es:
The source of ALL my joy.

and then it all clicks...

David:
"Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!"

There is no need to be discouraged, there is no need for my heart to be sad. I will put my hope in God, and praise Him- my Savior.

God has proven His love for me over and over again, and I will praise Him in advance for what He is currently preparing for us.