Luke 5:16 - What to do in the wilderness

Scripture

Luke 5:16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.

Observation

There is a season for everything (Eccl. 3:1).  Right now, Tim and I in the wilderness.  Five months ago, God called us to the wilderness and since we have been in the wilderness people have asked us what we are doing?  What direction has God told us to go? What are His plans for us? I don't blame them for that question, because frankly I would like to know the answer also.

It just seems that the wilderness is not very productive. You don't know what direction to go in because there is no determining land mark that shows the way. It's the wilderness. The enemy would like Tim and I to feel like outcasts; he calls us failures for not being able to find our way out of the wilderness.  In Old Testament times the unclean were thrown out of the city limits.  No one was to touch them.  They are rejected.  These are the feelings that the enemy would like Tim and I to cling on to.  And if we do we can be sure that a bitter root will grow up and we will spend our time grumbling.

But Jesus, intentionally went into the wilderness to pray, why?

1. The wilderness is a great place to pray because it's quiet.  I have experienced incredible times of prayer these last five months in the solitude of my own home; begging God for my family (both physical and spiritual).
2. The wilderness helps you to realize your dependence on God. There is no one around to whom you can misplace your salvation.  Any food that you receive and encouragement that is brought, comes from God.

3. The wilderness helps you to see God and His mighty hand. The last several months I have become increasingly aware of the similarities of Gods hand in nature and God's hand in our lives.  I could go on and on about this, but that is going to have to wait for a later blog post.

4. The wilderness helps you to slow down.  Inevitably the wilderness will create margin in your life. Jesus was extremely busy, people followed Him wherever He went.   Tim and I were extremely busy also, but now we spend our time on just the basics; God and family.   We are involved in ministry, but it isn't allowed to overtake our relationship with God and our children.

Application

The wilderness application is three-fold:

1. I am to pray continuously while in the wilderness
2. I am to saturate myself with the word of God, for in the wilderness Jesus was also tempted by the devil.  Jesus used the word of God to rebuke satan.
3. I am to be thankful and faithful.  The people of Israel wandered in the desert for 40 years because they grumbled and did not believe God.  I don't want to take 40 years to make an eleven day journey.

Prayer

Father God, You are the great I AM. You have brought Tim and I to the wilderness where You can show us everything You are. Each day You are making us more reliant on You and transforming us into faithful servants.  I thank You and ask that You continue to make us faithful in prayer, joyful in hope, and patient in affliction. Help us to make the most of this precious time.  Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. It is because of Your goodness that we are here and it is because of Your grace that we pray.