Desert Flowers

Written by Lacey McNiel

Hello Everyone! It is only day two and we have learned so much. All of us are still riding the excitement of finally being in Israel. Throughout the day I have little moments where I stop and think, “Wow, I really am here!”

Today we started our day off hiking through the wilderness of Zin where we learned about faith and obedience. Afterwards we hopped over to Masada where we hiked to the top, and finally ended our day floating in the Dead Sea.

As we sat overlooking the Zin Desert it began to rain. We ended the Sh’ma with “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and might, and love your neighbor as yourself,” and my spirit was moved. I knew that this day was for me.

A defining word I would use to describe my spiritual walk in college was desert. And here I sat overlooking a real desert.

A year ago this week, I sat in my apartment in Dallas reading through the Old Testament, wondering what it looked like to walk in obedience. So I ended up applying for the Forge. I thought I was at the Forge to learn about obedience, but it turns out he taught me a lot more about faith, and really his love. Little did I know God would bring me to Zin to bring resolution to the desert years.
Today we walked through Zin reading through Exodus, and learned how God’s people responded to being in the Desert. As it turns out, I was a lot like them, questioning why I was in this season, and if God was really around anyways, asking “Is God with me or not?” There was no lack of evidence of God, just lack of faith. They weren’t roaming – God knew exactly where they were. In fact, he was leading them.

Looking at the text, 2 million of God’s people flourished in the desert. They were provided with food, clothes, and water for 40 years. They even raised up a new generation. In a place that the world would call a wasteland, God made a people not just survive, but thrive. He was wooing them to himself, and increasing their faith. Their livelihood was connected to God, not their circumstances. Throughout the 40 years, He was causing them to have faith and trust in Him. He took them out of Egypt to the desert, and took them to the desert to take Egypt out of them. He was refining them to be a people dependent on the Lord.

So what do I have to learn about my own desert years? The desert produced faith. It caused me to see God as the keeper of my life, not any other idols I tried to put in his place. And if it took just 4 years in a spiritual desert, wow, He must really love me to take the time to teach me and refine me.

So what are my desert flowers? Increased faith God, and better understanding of how much he loves me, and knowledge of where to put my trust next time I enter the desert. Praise God for the desert, and praise God for my desert flowers.

Thanks for praying for us while we continue to see what God has for us over here. Stay tuned to see what else we are learning!