The Desert Place

READ: EXODUS 12:31-42; MATTHEW 4:1-11

Have you ever seen a desert before? Maybe you’ve been to Arizona, New Mexico, or Southern California, where some of the terrain is desert. The land is often rugged, rocky, and barren, with little plant life and plenty of dangerous animals. The desert is also remote; not many people live in deserts. In fact, the desert doesn’t offer much in the way of opportunity or economic value. But economic value isn’t the only measure of life.

In Exodus, God led His newly-freed people out of Egypt and through the wilderness. He was leading them to the land He’d promised them, and on the way they had to pass through deserts and wilderness. The Lord used Israel’s time in the wilderness to draw them closer to Himself. God made a covenant with His people, spoke with Moses, and provided for them. But it wasn’t all good—Israel also rebelled against God, and so He made them wander the wilderness for another forty years (Numbers 32:13). The wilderness was a time of trial and testing for Israel.

Later on in the Bible, Jesus was led into the wilderness. He fasted, not eating anything for forty days—a bit like how Israel was in the desert forty years—and He was tempted by Satan. But Jesus resisted all of Satan’s temptations and succeeded where Israel had failed.

You may walk through a desert place—God might feel distant, or life might be confusing. Maybe you’re walking through a desert place right now. First, remember that God is with you all the time, even if it doesn’t seem like it. And I guarantee you He is using your time in the desert to grow you and help you rely on Him more (Romans 8:28-29). Second, remember that Christ prevailed where Israel failed. Jesus never sinned; He took our sin upon Himself on the cross and set us free from sin’s power—all because God loves us. When Jesus died for us, and then rose again, He made the way for us to come back to God. So now, in every desert place—in every temptation and trial and failure—we can know that Jesus relates to us, His forgiveness covers us, and He is there to help us (Hebrews 4:14-16). • Steven Wierenga

• Do you feel like you’re in a desert place right now, feeling aimless or wandering about? God had a plan for Israel. Even though they messed up and rejected Him again and again, God was still faithful and saw the plan through. And God has a plan for your life as well. Can you think of any ways God has been faithful to you? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Psalm 23:4 (WEB)