Title:  Blessings in the Wilderness

Reading for September 16:  Hosea 10-14

It was I who knew you in the wilderness,
in the land of drought;
but when they had grazed, they became full,
they were filled, and their heart was lifted up;
therefore they forgot me.
Hosea 13:5-6

Abraham Lincoln said, "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."

When we are in the wilderness we feel helpless. We're hungry. We're thirsty. We're lost and without direction. We're anxious and afraid. We're unsure of ourselves.

And that's a good place to be.

When we arrive in the land where the milk and honey are flowing we feel strong. We're full. We're satisfied. We're full of self-confidence and sure of ourselves. We feel bold and powerful.

And that's a dangerous place to be.

In the wilderness we're desperate for God. That's why Paul said he embraced the wilderness, "For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions, calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:10

In the land of milk and honey we don't feel the same desperation. That's why James cautions the rich to boast in his humiliation, because "like a flower of the grass he will pass away." (James 1:10)

Is life good for you right now? Be thankful if it is.

But be careful. The land where you dwell is filled with danger.

Father God, thank you for the good things in our lives. And thank you for the dry places in our journey. They remind us of our need for you.