The Wilderness Part 2

According to experts, roughly speaking, in survival scenarios, the magic number is THREE. You can live approximately THREE minutes without oxygen, THREE hours in extreme weather, THREE days without water, and THREE weeks without food. For Singaporeans who eat SIX meals a day, it might come as a shock to know that food is the last of basic human need!

As we come closer to the last quarter of 2020, we are hearing more news of the closing of companies and many who will lose their jobs. Singapore has been protected these past few months from feeling the full force of the Pandemic, but with no clear end in sight, we are all preparing for the worst. In many ways, whether it is mental, emotional or financial, all of us will be facing ‘survival scenarios’ in our life. The Church of Christ is not exempt from this hardship. But the way we face our Wilderness will mark us, either as people who truly know God or as people who only profess to know God, but are really without true knowledge of Him.

Israel was in exactly this same position as they entered the Wilderness of their lives. They ‘knew’ God. They ‘knew’ His saving power and tasted of His blessings in their lives. They ‘knew’ that God was heard their cry. They ‘knew’ that God was more powerful than the most powerful force on earth at that time (Pharaoh). They ‘knew’ that God had power of the mighty waters. And they ‘knew’ that God not only would hear their cries for life, but was seeking to bless and prosper them. They ‘knew’ God, but they didn’t truly know God.

But before we feel contempt for Israel, let’s consider their situation. They had no water for THREE days!! That’s the limit of human survivability. They had no sense of where their food was going to come from. They didn’t know if they could find shelter should the weather suddenly become extreme - too hot in the desert; or too cold. The Wilderness is not a place to be trifled with. In the Wilderness, our life support systems and sense of security is taken away from us.

So why would God ever allow us to go through the Wilderness? He does so to help us know this simple truth - True Life is not defined by our access to food, water and protection, but His Love. To know God is to know not of His Power, but of His Love. To know God is to enter into a relationship with Him that is defined by Love. Israel knew His Power, but they did not truly understand how much God loved them. How precious they were in His sight. How He would literally move heaven and earth for them - not to spoil them, but to truly bless and enrich them as His beloved children.

As we enter the Wilderness, let us remain open to His Love. He is doing a mighty work in the midst of our Wilderness experiences. He is introducing Himself to us in new and powerful ways to cause us to comprehend His unfailing Love. Let’s not miss the deeper work of God in our lives, as the children of Israel did in the Wilderness.