Embrace the Wilderness
“I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
I love the outdoors. I used to love camping, until my back stopped cooperating. I loved the smell of the campfire's smoke. Food tastes better when made over an open fire. My wife is an exceptionally talented cook, even when cooking over an open flame. There is something freeing about being in the woods alone, far away from everyone. There was a special sense of satisfaction in carrying a pack and a canoe over portages, getting physically tired, out in the Boundary Waters wilderness. The first time I felt God was as a teenager along the Basswood River, in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Northern Minnesota and Canada.
Throughout the Old and New Testaments, there are stories of individuals finding God out in the wild. God calls Abram and Sarai to pack up their tents and set out into the wild, without knowing exactly where they were going. They were to trust God to guide them. Moses finds God up in the mountains alone with the burning bush. David is hiding from King Saul in one of the many desert caves when he sees Saul there. Paul travels by primitive boat across the Mediterranean Sea and on foot through what is now Turkey, Greece, Italy, and many other places. Imagine all the nights these Biblical characters looked up to the stars and prayed for God’s guidance.
Today, think about your outdoor experiences. You do not need to take two weeks in the Boundary Waters to have time in the wilderness with God. Take an afternoon and go for a walk at a local State Park. If you only have a lunch hour available, just walk around a local park. Fresh air, physical exertion, and some time alone praying can refresh your spiritual life. Now I know it is March, and last week the temperature was in the double digits below zero, but bundling up and taking a walk will make you feel so good, both physically and spiritually. Take some time to embrace your little place in the wilderness so that God can calm your soul. Have fun and enjoy the view!
