Skip to main content

Trusting God In The Desert by Martin Wiles

She agreed to follow the Chief Shepherd to the High Places. Instead he led her into the desert. Now she was confused.

Hannah Hurnard was born to a well-to-do English family, but shyness and a speech impediment made life miserable. It wasn’t until she turned nineteen that she finally discovered happiness. Sensing God’s call on her life to mission work, she began traveling with the Friends’ Evangelist Band spreading the gospel in England and Ireland.

In 1955, Hannah began composing the allegory Hinds’ Feet on High Places. Published in 1975, the work describes Much-Afraid’s decision to follow the Chief Shepherd to the High Places. She imagined an easy journey but discovered it required trusting the Chief Shepherd through turmoil, temptation, enemy assault and hot sand. As he reminded her; “All of my servants on the way to the High Places have had to make this detour through the desert.”

The psalmist discovered the same. Out of the depths I cry to you, LORD; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. (Psalm 130:1-2)I too have wandered in the desert.

Assuming following Christ makes all problems and difficulties disappear only sets us up for disappointment and bitterness. Jesus dispelled this illusion when he said; In this world you will have trouble. (John 16:33)

The key to victory through desert dwelling is believing what proceeds and follows the middle of the verse: in me you may have peace and But take heart! I have overcome the world. Clinging to God’s truths gives peace in our deserts, and believing he has overcome gives us confidence we will too. Trust God’s heart even when you can’t trace his hand.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we trust You to bring us through life’s trials and usher us victoriously into Your High Place.
Labels:

Comments

  1. Theresa MillerMay 22, 2012 at 8:10 AM

    Wonderful words. I recall that book growing up, although I had not read it myself. Thank you for these insights!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Phyllis Q FreemanMay 22, 2012 at 4:28 PM

    I loved reading Hannah Hurnard's books at just the right time in my life. If Christians would really "get" your message "Assuming following Christ makes all problems and difficulties disappear only sets us up for disappointment and bitterness," they wouldn't get bogged down with the difficulties. Life has hard times. Jesus is there to hold our hand through them.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ashley DittoMay 22, 2012 at 10:37 PM

    This is beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousMay 24, 2012 at 1:47 PM

    I'm also learning to trust. But, do we ever stop learning? Thanks for such a beautiful post.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Obeying God’s Schedule - Martin Wiles

Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” Matthew 9:22 NLT Schedules are made to be broken. According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality test, I’m a judger. I like structure and organization. While I can be spontaneous on occasion, it’s not my preferred way of life. I’m also time conscious. I’ve been wearing a watch since I was in first grade. Schedules are important, and I like to be ahead of time for whatever the agenda holds. Keeping and checking off a list gives me an adrenaline rush. In college, I completed all my projects ahead of time. Some of these traits were inborn, but being the firstborn child and living with parents who had similar traits made it certain I’d be a judger.  John’s gospel, especially, makes it evident that Jesus journeyed on a divine schedule. Many were told not to tell that he had healed them or cast out their demons simply because Jesus didn’t want his ministry to end p...
16 comments
Read more

Bears or Gators? Believer or Non-Believer? - Melissa Henderson

So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:21 NIV   “What do you mean there are gators in the neighborhood?”  Moving from central Virginia to South Carolina's Lowcountry brought new adventures. Learning about alligators, blue skinks, armadillos, and other creatures led to excitement but also a bit of worry. One of the most interesting parts of living in a new state was adapting to the weather and different animals. Would we prefer the bears of Virginia or the gators of the South? As my husband and I became accustomed to the humidity and scorching heat of the Deep South, we began referring to ourselves as “South Carolinians.” We laughed as we noticed folks wearing long-sleeved shirts and coats when temperatures reached sixty degrees in the Lowcountry. In Virginia, that temperature was...
10 comments
Read more

Connecting to the Creator - Martin Wiles

It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Revelation 1:10 NLT I’ve done it all my life—whether I wanted to or not. Going to church was never an option. Dad was a preacher, and PK’s went to church … often. Our particular church tradition held services three times weekly, in addition to special activities on other days. I had to attend each one. After moving out, I had the option of going, but still went. When my parents made me go, I sometimes didn’t want to. But when I could stay home, I rarely did. Worship is what the apostle John did on the Lord’s Day. As he did, God spoke to him and told him to write things that would happen in the future. Things God’s people needed to hear and respond to. Beyond everything else, worship concerns giving God the glory and praise He deserves. He is our creator and deliverer, and we should celebrate that through worship. But worship involves us also. We have needs that require attention and decisions that deman...
1 comment
Read more