Ann Mizer  

Wilderness

A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.  Every valley shall be raised up every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.  And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”    Isaiah 40:3-5 (NIV)

I was reading an article about a book written by Anne Graham Lotz entitled “Wounded by God’s People”.  It made me ponder what we all do to others, even though we claim ourselves to be Christians.  The article went on to talk about being in the wilderness.   There were words like “dry, barren, lonely “ used to describe the wilderness.  There are physical places, but there are also emotional and spiritual places that can be wilderness.  You can be in the wilderness alone or with other people.

The verses I chose to depict this thought are familiar if you listen to Handel’s “Messiah”.  I think these verses are beautiful and they ask us to prepare, but also tell us God will be revealed and people will see together.  I believe that God is with us, even if we are in the wilderness.  He is there to cling to, He is there to guide us and support us.  We all have wilderness in our lives.  Sometimes they are in our Church or with family members.  A key thought though is to reach out and hold on to God.

Dear Lord, may your Glory be revealed to us and may we trust in you, wherever we may be.  Amen