I recently read finished reading through the story of the Israelites wandering the wilderness (Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers + Deuteronomy). It was a several week journey stretched into 40 years of wandering and waiting.
Are you in the wilderness?
It could be the wilderness of a financial hole you can’t climb out of. You might be wandering the wilderness of relational heartbreak. Maybe you are experiencing the wilderness of emotional struggles; fear and isolation is crippling our culture. It could be the wilderness of a physical ailment that isn’t improving despite the many doctors and specialist visits.
Are you in the wilderness?
During those 40 years of wandering the wilderness, God sent the daily gift of manna to his people. God literally sent bread from heaven to his people every single day. Day in and day out, manna appeared for weeks, months, years. The manna fulfilled the real need for nourishment, but it was bigger than that.
God sent his people comfort.
God’s gift of manna fed the people physically, but it also provided comfort. Yes, they were in the wilderness, but the gift of manna reminded them they weren’t alone. Daily manna spoke loud and clear: “God is with you.” Every morning they woke up to see the comforting reminder that God was right beside them in this wilderness journey they were on.
Comfort in the Wilderness
If you find yourself in the wilderness today, be encouraged. You don’t have to walk through the wilderness alone. Jesus wants to walk with you. He is the bread of life – manna from heaven (John 6). Like the bread that appeared each morning, His presence is for comfort. Jesus is the comfort in the wilderness.
Don’t be fooled though. Jesus’ presence doesn’t guarantee deliverance from the wilderness – maybe he will but maybe not. Jesus himself walked through the wilderness (40 days and 40 nights). He then walked a vicious path to the cross. The guarantee is his presence. Jesus’ presence is comfort.
Today, as you read this, it is a gift from Jesus. It is his comfort.
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