DISCIPLINE IN THE DESERT
(Written during the global pandemic in 2020)
"Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm." ~ Publilius Syrus
Any athlete will tell you that in order to excel at your sport, it requires training - sometimes rigorous training. And serious discipline. While training, you work much harder to build your muscles and develop skill than when you’re actually performing the sport. Like a football kicker practicing his kicks in a swimming pool, or a long-distance runner running in high altitudes, or a baseball player swinging bats with weights on the end… or even painting fences or waxing cars to learn Karate. *wink*
The idea is that if you can learn to do something well when it’s difficult, then when things AREN’T so hard, it will be much easier for you to perform the task… and it will be a habit.
A discipline.
I don't know about you, but things have been really chaotic for me the past few months. And, it’s really, REALLY hard to live life in the midst of chaos.
Unsettled.
Always on the move.
Nothing as it “should” be.
It's like we're walking on water, with no solid ground to stand on and waves crashing all around... wait... I already did that post. *wink*
Well... it's ALSO like walking in sand. And I'm not talking about strolling down a white sandy beach on a beautiful island with gentle waves kissing your toes, warm breezes caressing your skin and an umbrella drink in your hand.
No.
I'm talking about trudging up and down blistering sand dunes hundreds of feet high with no water (or plants or life of ANY kind!) to be found… for miles!
Sometimes, this is what life feels like.
It’s hard.
REALLY hard.
But… maybe God is providing this “desert” as an opportunity to learn discipline…
I'm reminded of the Israelites, just after they were freed from their Egyptian captivity. "The Promised Land" was actually not that far away, and it wouldn't have taken very long (only a couple of weeks!) to get there if they took the most direct route.
Instead they ended up wandering around in the desert for 40 years.
When we say it like that, it sounds like their lives WERE in utter chaos... wandering about aimlessly in the scorching heat of life...
...nowhere to go...
...nothing to do...
...just existing...
...until they DIED.
GAK!!!
But, this isn't really the case. God had a plan, (as He always does!) and He used this time to teach them discipline in the desert. If we zoom in and look at this story a little closer, we start to see some really amazing things… and we don't have to look very hard to see the similarities in our own lives, as well.
First of all, (just like with Peter in the waves, and just like with you and with me,) God was WITH them. He wasn't like, "Okay, that's IT!! You guys have ticked me off for the LAST time! I am SO done with you! Off to the desert you go!” Yes, He got angry with them and at times WANTED to give up on them them… but He is slow to anger (Psalm 103:8) and therefore puts up with the whining and complaining and sniveling and backsliding, (and aaaaallll the things that go along with having a bad attitude because things aren't going well!) ... just like He does with us. (It’s so easy to criticize them, but that’s because they are “sandpaper people” for us - mirroring our own frailties we don’t like to look at.) God understands that we're just dust, so, thankfully, He is excruciatingly patient with us, (Psalm 103:13-14 & 2 Peter 3:9) and loves and provides for us all as His children.
Think about this… the Israelites did not plant any food to eat while they were in the desert. I think there are a few reasons for this. 1) They never knew when they were going to be called to, “Pack it up and move along!” so they really COULDN’T plant. 2) They were in the DESERT, so... yeah. Pretty futile endeavor there as well. But, most importantly, 3) God told them HE would provide their food FOR them! (Exodus 16:4-5) Which means they had to learn to TRUST and OBEY Him.
Not only would He provide food for them each day, but they were only to gather it for 6 days, and He would provide enough on the 6th day for 2 days, so they could rest on the 7th day. (And, if they didn't trust and obey Him, and gathered enough food for 2 days on any day other than the 6th day, the food would have worms in it the next day! *gag and shudder*) He wants us to TRUST Him to provide the BEST for us (Psalm 78:24-25) and not try to rely on our own ways… which end up rotten and disgusting, like 2 day old manna.
So.. let's press pause here for just a moment, and do a little math. (I hate math, so we'll do it together! *wink*)
365 days in a year times 40 years is 14,600 days - which is approximately how many days God provided food for them, without them having to work for it. (Besides going outside and scooping it up.) (Matthew 6:26)
There's 52 weeks in a year, so in 40 years God provided a double-portion of food for them on the 6th day about 2,080 times, so they could rest on the Sabbath day.
Without fail.
I don't read anywhere that anyone died of starvation during this 40 year backpacking trip. (Not only that, their feet did not swell and their clothes never wore out either! (Nehemiah 9:21) Amazing!)
While these numbers may not be exact, (as I don't have the precise number of days, weeks, or months,) they're pretty darn close. And any way you look at it, it's absolutely incredible.
Okay, enough math for me. Back to our story.
During this time, God also gave His children the Torah, basically instructions on how to live. How to eat. How to worship. How to interact with each other, etc., - all in the midst of chaotic, constant upheaval. They had 40 years to learn DISCIPLINE... to do the right thing, no matter what. Even when things were hard. Even when they were in the process of moving. (Or finding a new job, or finding a new church, or finding a "new normal" way of life!)
And, because God loves us, He GUIDES us. He doesn't crack a whip from behind us like a slave-driver herding us into the scary dark unknown. Instead He LEADS us… which means He knows the way and He goes before us, (Exodus 13:21) like a Good Shepherd. It's our job to follow Him. (Matthew 4:19) We may not know what's around the corner, but He does... and so we are learning to TRUST Him.
God USES the unsettled times of wandering in our lives to teach us discipline in the desert, (just like He did with the Israelites,) to allow us the opportunity to learn to do the right thing - eating right, exercising, getting enough sleep, treating each other well, etc., - no matter the circumstances. To show us He is WITH us, and to teach us to TRUST Him. To obey Him. To depend on Him for everything. And to FOLLOW Him, moment by moment, breath by breath, expecting the unexpected... because His ways are not our ways. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
The direct route may seem like it would take less time, but it's usually way more treacherous, and we may not be ready for the battles along the way, (Exodus 13:17) even though we think we are. (Exodus 13:18)
God’s ways are always best - even when it seems like we're just wandering around aimlessly in a desert. (I’m always reminding myself, “Don’t despise the desert!”) Know that He has GOOD plans for us. (Jeremiah 29:11) To prosper and not harm us and to give us a hope and a future.
Always.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
SCRIPTURES
Matthew 14:29-32 ~ He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. (ESV)
Psalm 103:8 ~ The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. (NASB)
Psalm 103:13-14 ~ As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. (NIV)
2 Peter 3:9 ~ The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (NET)
Exodus 16:4-5 ~ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day they will gather food, and when they prepare it, there will be twice as much as usual.” (NLT)
Psalm 78:24-25 ~ He rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven. Human beings ate the bread of angels; he sent them all the food they could eat. (NIV)
Matthew 6:26 ~ Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? (NASB)
Nehemiah 9:21 ~ Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness; They lacked nothing; Their clothes did not wear out. And their feet did not swell. (NKJV)
Exodus 13:21 ~ The Lord went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night. (NLT)
John 10:11 ~ I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (KJV)
Matthew 4:19 ~ And He said to them, Come after Me [as disciples—letting Me be your Guide], follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men! (AMPC)
Isaiah 55:8-9 ~ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (NIV)
Exodus 13:17 ~ When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” (NLT)
Exodus 13:18 ~ …and the sons of Israel went up in martial array from the land of Egypt. (NASB)
Jeremiah 29:11 ~ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (ESV)