Read 1 Kings 17-19
This week, we’ll be exploring the story of Elijah in the wilderness. As we do that, it is important to have an accurate image of what Elijah was experiencing. There was a time in my life when “wilderness trips” were part of my job description and my course assignments. During this season, I spent countless nights sleeping under the stars, cooking food over a fire, and talking with friends late into the night. Most of the places we traveled were considered “pristine” wilderness – protected, mostly forested areas along Lake Superior. These picturesque trips were awe-inspiring to say the least! I say all that to set up a contrast between our modern, American interpretation of “wilderness” and the “biblical” interpretation of wilderness.
For most of us, if we were asked to paint a picture of the wilderness, we would paint scenes that resemble my experiences backpacking in the woods. But in Scripture, and in the Middle East where most of the biblical narrative unfolded, the wilderness is more commonly associated with the barren desert. It was not a beautiful, awe-inspiring place. It was a place where water and shade were sparse, and as a result, where life itself was sparse.
The idea of wilderness is also a poignant and evocative metaphor, and in that sense, both my experiences and the experiences of Elijah in the desert share some similarities. Regardless of the context, the wilderness is always a place of challenge – a place that demands sacrifice and tests the limits of our strength.
As Christians, it is inevitable that we will experience numerous spiritual wildernesses throughout our lives. These experiences will bring us to our knees, and it is often there that we encounter the living God.
As we dive into this series, take some time to think about some wilderness seasons in your own life. Perhaps you are even in one right now. What was the experience like? What challenges did you face? How did you feel? Then, spend some time in prayer asking God to help you better understand his work in your life during those seasons.
Prayer: God, sometimes it feels like I am experiencing life in a life-less desert. As I think about these experiences this week, help me to see how you used or are using the experience to make me more like Jesus.
