The word of God came…in the wilderness

Luke 3:2

“…the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.”

The way in which things took place in the Bible is often the way they take place to the common man. After all, the Bible is simply full of common men and common women—men and women who had a touch of God on them. But they were, nonetheless, just men and women. They were vessels of God’s glory. They were instruments in the mighty hand of God to accomplish His divine purposes. But you see, we may gaze upon their lives, and see in a glass the reflection of our own. We may look in the mirror, and recognize that these things were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

In the wilderness! The word of God came to John in the wilderness. God had called John to be the forerunner of Christ. What a calling! What a privilege! He would make His paths straight. All things crooked would be made straight, and the rough ways would be made smooth. What a mighty service God would use John for! Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist! What a man! But, he was only a man. He followed and obeyed and dedicated himself to God. He lived for the one purpose for which God had called him. We have no record of him marrying, having a family, living in any sort of comfort. He was as a Nazarite, and wore raiment of camel’s hair, eating locusts and wild honey. But notice this today: where was John when the word of God came to him? In the desert! In the wilderness! God spoke to him in the wilderness! God did not speak to him in a palace or in a comfortable place. God did not reveal His will to John while He was in the midst of others. He was in solitude. He was by himself. And there, in the wilderness, God spoke!

Now, my dear friend, would you not derive great comfort from this truth today? Does not God continue to work the same way that He always has? Does He not continue to speak in the wilderness? Was that not what happened to Moses, and to Christ, and to a host of other prophets of God? Did they not meet the Lord in the desert? Is that not where God gave them strength, and ministered unto them? The wilderness is a place of trial, my beloved. It is a place of testing. It is a place of separation. God needs to take you away from some things, and get you by yourself with Him. And, although you may feel it is a great and dry wilderness, it may be the perfect place that is conducive to the words of God coming upon you! Despise not the desert! Do not hate the wilderness! For the wilderness is God’s classroom. The times of dearth are often where His power is so greatly made known, as in the life of Joseph. If you are in the wilderness now, take comfort, dear one, for God is working His beautiful plan through you.

“And now, Father, we praise and thank You that You send messages of comfort and strength to us when they are most acutely needed. We need strength in the wilderness! We need sustainment and direction that we may know the path forward! Meet us where we are, and if You shall but walk with us through the desert, we shall fear no evil; for Thou art with us. Help us to stay with Thee, learning all the lessons for which You have designed the wilderness. And we shall praise You for it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”