The sun blazed over the arid desert. How long would she last in the water?
She trudged up a sand hill. Her mind made up an ache in her shoulders caused by the weight of her empty pouch as she plodded upwards. When she reached the top of the small hill, her face fell at the sight presented to her. A sprawling mountain range stood in her way. How am I to get past this? She shook her head. The range hadn’t existed when she had looked at the horizon, atop the hill where her journey had begun. She clenched her jaw and ground her teeth in frustration. What other surprises would this journey hold? Still, she refused to give up and continued walking. If no way exists for me to get past the mountains, I should turn back. Something deep within her screamed against the idea, but if He wouldn’t act on her behalf, how else was she supposed to continue?
Her helplessness without Him made her cringe.
She dragged her feet until she arrived at the foot of the mountains an hour or two later. By that time, the lack of water parched her throat and exhausted her. She rested her back against the mountain. Now what? Nothing was here. How could anyone survive this journey?
Despondent, she slanted her form against the rock-solid wall behind her, slid down, and sat on the sand. She shut her eyes as she mulled over her predicament.
If I turn back, to what am I returning? I prefer to die in search for Him than live forever apart from Him. I can’t turn back.
In that moment, an odd sight caught her eye. Fluttering wings carried a dove past her. Full of grace. Pure. Its whiteness, which glimmered against the sun’s rays, provided a stark contrast to the desert’s drab surroundings. She blinked her eyes several times and smiled with relief to find that, though far from her, the dove existed. There was yet life to be found in the wilderness! But, her relief proved temporary, because the dove flew right into the rocky mountain. She gasped, expecting the bird to crash into the cliffs. Instead, it disappeared from view.
She creased her brows in confusion. She ran toward where the dove had disappeared. Upon reaching the spot, a narrow valley in between two giant mountain ranges came within view.
A smile crept over her parched lips. Her beloved had hidden ways in the wilderness.
Manna
Verses for Meditation
I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. Philippians 3:12-14(MSG)
So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet! Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it. Philippians 3:15-16(MSG)
Author’s Reflections
When we make a conscious decision to follow hard after God, odds are we will find obstacles along the way. Like many saints who have gone before us, we don’t turn back.
If Jesus is the heart, the soul, the ultimate quest of this journey we’ve embarked on, then we can’t afford to give up. In moments when we find ourselves facing insurmountable odds, we ask ourselves: Do I want Him? Do I want everything He has for me — His heart, His mind, His smile?
If we can’t answer with a hearty, sincere “Yes,” we discover the Holy Spirit willing to help. He changes our focus and becomes our Guide. He enables us to keep our eyes on our destination: Jesus Himself. Despite the circumstances surrounding us, the mountains blocking us, we allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in us. When we do, He is faithful to open our eyes and show us the way to go.
Are you tired and thirsty? Are your circumstances overwhelming you, and you can’t see a way out? Don’t give up. Stop. Breathe. Rest. Refocus. Let the Holy Spirit show you The Way.
This is from allegorical devotional, The Woman in the Wilderness.