In the Wilderness

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:‘Prepare the way of the Lord;make his paths straight.’” Matthew 3:1-3

Although I haven't been in a while, I love to go camping. Started camping early in life both with my family and with girl scouts. Any time we traveled as a family, when I was young, we camped, partly because we didn't have money for motels and such. But also because it gave us a way to explore the world and to meet other people. We had some great adventures camping as a child. When Mark and I got married a dear friend gave us camping equipment as a wedding present. We used it until it wore out and have had to get replacements down the road. There is something about challenging oneself to set up and break down, to use resources carefully and to listen to the wind and the earth that can only be found when out in the wilderness. When creature comforts are left behind, the true beauty of life and relationships can be found.

John went to the wilderness and came back bearing God's word to the people. He found himself and his God in the wilderness. And not only his God but the God of all the people who was doing a new thing right in their midst. John, who was barely months older than his Jesus, took himself out into the wilds to find who he really was. The voice of God was put in his heart as he left creature comforts behind.

Today, I want to give thanks for all the opportunities I have had to explore the wilderness and to find God in the midst of the majesty of creation. It makes sense - we find painters usually near their paintings and musicians usually near their music. Our Creator in the midst of Creation. May we all rejoice in a God who loves us all so much that we are sought out in our wildernesses -urban or rural, suburban or in transition. May this day be one where we all find God in a new way, and our found by our loving Creator.