Smeagol is Free!
A hermitudinal view of...stuff...


6.03.2004  

The Desert

I ran into Jim Winn after my workout at the gym tonight. He'd just gotten in from Celebration East, the huge gathering (celebration...hence the name) for Sovereign Grace's East region. It was great to see him, since we hadn't spent time together in...oh...a couple of weeks. We stood in the mail room on campus, catching up on what had transpired...before long, we ended up at Steak N Shake :) Aaahhh, the good things in life!



Speaking of life, it's been strange lately. I told Jim that it's been one of those times recently where God has been pleased to do the Deuteronomy 8 thing and show me how He's leading me through The Desert. Those times...*sigh*...they're so good for me, but so unexpected. It's like I get to a point in my walk with Him where I think I've finally moved beyond the need for The Desert...and that's just when God brings it along.



You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.



I sometimes think, "God, you know I love You and would do anything for you!" And then He shows me just how much I don't love Him. It's at those points where I just kind of go, "oh." I won't elaborate too much; I think everyone can relate to that feeling :)



He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.



When I want something...I mean, when I really want something, I know the lengths I'll go to obtain it. Two thoughts come to mind in regards to that. First, God knows this, and He continually lets me go hungry and leaves those silly, empty desires unfulfilled. Second, God demonstrates His love by feeding me with the very best - no matter how ungrateful I am for the feast He sets before me.



In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good for you in the end.



Yeah...that's the hard thing to remember about being in the desert. When God is drawing back from me, testing me to see how deeply I want Him, it's His higher purpose that's being served. And His purpose is such that He's working even my failures to good. Wow.



Oh...one last thing...Goose, give her an Elvish name...trust me :)

posted by Bolo | 1:20 AM
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