Read Psalm 78:32-40
Have you ever visited the desert? Maybe you’ve gone sliding down sand dunes or even ridden a camel. Sounds fun, right? I live in the land where the Israelites likely wandered for a good part of 40 years, and I can say that the desert can be very frustrating, hot, exhausting, and dirty. It can also get very cold, dangerous during rainy seasons, and even a little green in the spring. It’s a strange juxtaposition to live in, and it has given me a lot of empathy for the wanderings of these people who lived in this nomadic state longer than they had wanted. The desert can bring out the worst in you, the pieces of yourself that need to be the most shaped by God’s love. Most of us have experienced desert times in our personal lives and walks with the Lord, and, if we lean into God’s mercy, we can learn to let the gritty sands wear away the dead parts of ourselves that we so often hold onto for false comfort.
In our passage today, we see the Israelites at their worst. They have witnessed incredible miracles, yet they have turned to sin. When they start to experience consequences for their sin, they turn back to God (surprise, surprise). “But they” don’t turn with their full hearts. Instead, they flatter God with lip service and lies. God isn’t fooled, however, and could take this opportunity to utterly give up on these people. “But He” doesn’t do that. Rather, God moves with compassion and forgives, knowing that these frustrating, fragile people were like the dust they kicked up with their feet. And even in that compassion, God knew they would continue to rebel and grieve Him in that desert wilderness! But God continued to provide for them, lead them, and remain true to the covenant He made with them in His loving-kindness.
Herein lies the truth: “But God.” Maybe that sounds a little cheesy if you’re as fluent in Christianese as I am, but it’s important that we take the time to appreciate this crux of the larger Biblical story. We have been the ones wandering in the wilderness, caught up in sin, choosing not to trust in God’s promises. “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Beloved, God loves you in your desert.
For Reflection:
- In Jordan, the desert is called badia, or ‘the living desert.’ Ask God to show you the life He has gracefully infused into your desert seasons, and remember the “but God” moments where He has already loved you.
By Melody
