(Third in a series on journeying through desert places in our lives).
O God, when You went forth before Your people, when You marched through the wilderness, Selah. The earth quaked; the heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God; Sinai itself quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel. You shed abroad a plentiful rain, O God; You confirmed Your inheritance when it was parched. -Psalm 68:7-9
The Lord reigns everywhere; deserts are no match for Him! Psalm 68 is David’s reminder that God was faithful to Israel in the wilderness, so He would be faithful to him, and us as well. In Part 1 of this mini-series, we dispelled the fear of going the wrong direction in the desert. Part 2 focused on God’s ability to march us victoriously; we are not overwhelmed in Him; we are stable and assured, even if our physical body or our circumstances are falling apart.
Another common desert fear:
- Will there be sufficient provisions, like water and food?
In other words, what if I don’t have enough resources to handle my wilderness journey? Desert travelers are often loaded down with worries. “What-if” questions tend to focus on resources.
1) Spiritual Resources – “What if I come to the end of my strength – will I be able to cope?”
2) Material Resources – “Will I/we/they have enough money?”
3) Relational “Resources” – “What will happen if my kids grow up without a mother/father?”
Psalm 68:9 reveals that God “confirms His inheritance when it was parched.” No matter how horrible our conditions, His inheritance, or resources will be sufficient. Don’t let pain, stress, or bad news cause you to panic. Simply rest in Him and trust Him for ALL resources you or your loved one(s) need. He is committed to take care of ANY concerns you have. Twice this passage stresses His “Presence” provides a “rain” or even “plentiful rain.” He provides. During my brutal cancer fight with Stage IV metastatic melanoma, there were several times I feared running out of strength, but my anxiety was unnecessary. When I needed something, He was there. I’m not saying it was easy to cope; it was really hard. But His presence and inheritance made the journey so much more manageable. Many times, He even made my journey pleasant. Drink the rain.
