The Wilderness Test
Feel like you’re wandering in circles, getting nowhere under coronavirus?
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and that should sound familiar. A little like the people of God, right?, who wandered in circles in the desert of Sinai; they, too, thought they were getting nowhere. Like, “Okay, where’s the plan, God? Why are we not making any progress? We keep repeating the same cycle; keep passing the same scenery; you’re not leading us out of this desert, out of this desolation. You’re not showing any leadership here. So, we’ve got a right to question and complain and take things into our own hands.” That describes the way God’s people responded, don’t you think?, pretty accurately. They were tired of getting nowhere. And so they complained. They got fearful and anxious; they even got angry. I bet this sounds familiar. Sounds a little like us when we deal with one spike in the coronavirus after the next. Schools are closed; then they’re not closed; restaurants are open, but, oh, nope, nope, now they’re not open. It feels like we’re wandering in circles, exactly like God’s people of old.
But frankly, I think our current circumstances are a perfect match with Deuteronomy 8:2 where we’re told, “God led you all the way in the wilderness, so that he might humble you and test you in order to know what is in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commandments.” Oh, friend, I love that verse, because this uncharted wilderness we are currently in – it’s a test. God’s humbling us; he’s testing us. And here’s his goal: to see if we’ll keep his commandments. In other words, will we stay hopeful? Will we stay prayerful? Will we keep trusting and be obedient and not allow ourselves to get anxious or fearful? Or will we complain, gripe, grumble, whine, criticize everyone from, I don’t know, the CDC to the WHO to the governor of your state?! That’s the test God is putting before us as we go through COVID-19. And if, IF we pass that “test,” as it were, described in Deuteronomy, I’ve got confidence; I do believe God will bring revival out of this disappointment and division and disease. So let’s not be like God’s people of old.
In Psalm 106, God’s people reflected back on all their complaining and inasmuch said, “We have done wrong. Like our ancestors, we gave no thought to your miracles, and we did not remember your many kindnesses, God…we forgot what you had done and did not wait for your plan to unfold. In the desert we gave in to our cravings.” Let’s not give in to complaining. Let’s wait for the plan of God to unfold, just as it says in Psalm 106. Let’s be vigilant, focused, trusting and obedient as we wait for God’s plan – Lord willing, that wonderful plan will include true revival.
If you’d like to share these thoughts with a friend, tell them to stream Joni and Friends Radio on their favorite podcast app. It’s a great way to share hope through all the hardship that COVID-19 might bring. Especially if they live in a community that does not have Christian radio like this one. To receive the latest program automatically, subscribe at joniradio.org/stream. New episodes of the Joni and Friends radio program will download automatically so you can enjoy this program anytime you want.
Oh, and one more thing. If you need prayer during this difficult season of fighting COVID-19, let’s hear from you on my radio page at joniradio.org. Again, that’s joniradio.org.
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