To be commanded to love God at all, let alone in the wilderness, is like being commanded to be well when we are sick, to sing for joy when we are dying of thirst, to run when our legs are broken. But this is the first and great commandment nonetheless. Even in the wilderness—especially in the wilderness—you shall love him.
-Frederick Buechner
Have you ever felt stranded between the bondage of the past and promise of the future? Between their departure from Herod’s labor camps and their arrival in the promised land, the children of Israel
This Sunday we are exploring Lessons from the Wilderness in Exodus 12:31-42.
Do folks still have wilderness experiences in life? Absolutely! Individuals, communities, and nations experience seasons of adversity, doubt, unrest, and uncertainty.
You might say that our church is going through a sort of wilderness experience right now. Of course there are lots of good things happening. Our mission involvement is strong. We exceeded our budget goal during the past year. We have been blessed with an abundance of visitors and new friends. We are making good progress in paying off the ROC. Lots of new babies are on the way. And there is a great spirit of fellowship.
On the other hand, we have a lengthy prayer list. Several members of our church family are dealing with severe health prognoses. We have some senior saints who are “not long for this world.” And we have many others who are dealing with unemployment, job uncertainty, marital conflicts, and various addictions.
Wilderness experiences challenge us to deepen our prayer life, to affirm our trust in the Lord, to strengthen our loyalty to God’s church, and to follow God’s directions without detours. There are lessons we can learn in the wilderness that we cannot discover on the mountain top.
On another note, our Minister of Students, Brad Gowing, announced this week that he has accepted an invitation to join the staff team at the Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in Birmingham. Brad will conclude his time with us on November 8. I have tremendously mixed emotions about Brad’s departure. I am grieving over Brad’s departure. Brad has provided outstanding leadership for our students and he has been a valuable member of our staff team. On the other hand, I know that in Brad’s deep walk with the Lord he has sensed God’s call to return to Birmingham and that this is a great opportunity for him. Even though it is difficult for us to let them go, we will send Brad and Maile to Dawson with our blessings on their future ministry. And we will be moving prayerfully, quickly, and intentionally to call our next Minister of Students.
Join me in praying for our many health concerns, for Brad and Maile, and for our staff search. Also, join me in praying that we will grow stronger and more faithful when we experience the tough terrain of the wilderness.
I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we worship God and encourage one another.
