The Voice in the Wilderness
"Real freedom lies in wilderness, not in civilization.”
-Charles Lindbergh
I love that quote, maybe that's one of the reasons I love Mark's gospel so much.
The Gospel of Mark begins not at the manger scene, not at the genesis of time, and not with Jesus' genealogy. It begins in the wilderness. Mark quotes Isaiah saying there will be one "who will prepare your way, the voice crying in the wilderness." (Mark 1:2-3) The readers see that voice "crying in the wilderness" is none other than John the Baptist.
Now, it is easy to think of wilderness as thick forrest for miles and miles, filled with rushing water and teaming with wildlife. But that is not the wilderness of the Bible. The word is better translated as desert. A place where life cannot be sustained, where even Bear Grylls can only survive for a short while.
This place, this wild desert is where God continues to meet his people. He meets Moses there. He wrestles with Jacob there. And the wandering Israelites were sustained there. The people of God often meet Him in the wilderness, and so do we. Remember the wilderness is a place where there is no water. There is no food. There is no survival. Unless our God comes to our rescue. Just as He did for His people wandering in the wilderness for 40 years, He provided them with food and water because all the other options couldn't satisfy and couldn't save.
The author of Hebrews explains that today you and I, face a different kind of wilderness. A wilderness that can be just as arid and unforgiving as the desert the Israelites wandered in. Our wilderness is the trials, the struggles, and the tribulations we face as we make our way through life. In that wild country, the only way we are rescued is by listening to the voice of God.
My son Simon has had open heart surgery, and a surgery to repair a diaphragmatic hernia discovered a few weeks after his open heart surgery. During those two surgeries we spent 40 plus days in the hospital with our little guy. Since he has been intubated so many times he has something called tracheomalacia which basically means his windpipe isn't as wide open as it should be.
Simon has had several swallow tests and multiple visits with Ear Nose and Throat doctors. At six months of age, his scheduled circumcision should have been uneventful. But thats not how our guy roles. Sparing the details, the procedure did not go well. Simon required an emergency operation. When the doctors were intubating him again, he vomited and they feared he aspirated.
It was one of the most sickening moments of my life.
Simon has just been through so much and to think he might now spend more nights in the hospital, have more breathing and eating issues, I felt like I was drowning. My wife left the waiting room to start updating our families but I just sat there and wept.
Then I remembered the notebook of scripture I had in my back pocket. The very verses my friends and family had texted me over the past several months to encourage me. Whenever I would get a new one I would just write it down in that little notebook. I pulled that tattered Field Notes pocket notebook out and began to read those verses aloud. As I kept reading them one right after the other I felt a wave of peace come over me.
I can't explain it. Nothing changed in my immediate surroundings but I began to feel peace. Listening to my Father's words was the only thing that pulled me through that wilderness. Moments later we were told that even though he had vomited, Simon didn't aspirate. We were home with him again the next day. I'm so thankful that in those scary moments, I could hear my Father's voice.
So for you, maybe things at work are so difficult and unfair right now, or your home is not a place of rest, but chaos. It could be health issues, financial troubles, loved ones who are hurting. Whatever your trial is right now it's a wilderness, and the only place you will survive is with God. Drinking, scrolling on your phones, buying some new gadget, or whatever else will not help us in the wilderness, only God will.
"Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, 'Today as you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness..." (Heb. 3:7-8)
Remember Jesus was tested in the wilderness too, for 40 days without food. When none other than the devil himself showed up to test and tempt Him, how did He survive? He quoted the word of God. With every temptation, with every trial, He held on to the Word of God, the voice of His Father.
Lindberg was right, there is great freedom in the wilderness. When you realize the only thing that really matters, the only thing that will carry you through is the loving voice of God, the peace will be overwhelming, and freedom unending.
