Moses sent scouts to check out the promised land. Go through
the desert and on into the hill country, he instructed.
It seems that in every promised land, there are deserts. I
am in one now, grieving for a very special dog whose bright eyes and wagging
tail lit up my every day for the last 13 years. But I sense the instruction to
go on through the desert, don’t set up a camp here and nurse the grief.
We all face deserts of one sort or another. They are arid
and lifeless places, monochrome even, and when the going is really tough, the
temptation is to stop. To hunker down and live in the desert, live in the loss,
live in the pain, live in the shadow.
No. Press on. Press on through the desert towards the hill
country, fertile and full of promise. Yes, there may be giants to face there,
too, but as long as we stay close to God, they too can be overcome.
Our lives
become productive, feeding others the fruits which our experiences have grown
as we encourage those lagging behind in the desert to press on towards the hill
country.
I’m not in the hill country today, but I see it on the
horizon. I will press on through, with God’s guidance, reassurance, comfort and
help. My loss is so miniscule compared to the horrendous suffering in so many
places in the world, but nevertheless, it is my loss and it is personal and
painful.
It has potential to become the compost for fruit to feed others, if I
let the Lord use it.
With his help, I will.
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