Still in the wilderness

For 40 years the people wandered in the wilderness. Those who did not trust in the Lord had been passing away through those years. There was Joshua and Caleb, watching this happen. Can you imagine what it must have been like to be them? How easy it would have been to say, "I told you. I told you that we could take those people. But, noooo, you would not listen. We can't do it, you said. You didn't trust the Lord. So here we are, in the wilderness, struggling each day, watching folks die off, all because we did not trust in the Lord." So easy to say, "I told you so."

It is so easy to look at others and see the problems and sins in their lives. So much more difficult to see it in your own life. Yes, Joshua and Caleb had said that the Lord could help them, but that did not mean they were sinless. They still sinned in their lives. Over those 40 years in the wilderness, they were not perfect. They continued to struggle with their own sinfulness.

So it is with our lives. Yes, we are children of God. But we still struggle with our sinfulness. We face temptations and often give in to those temptations. Like the children of Israel, we are not perfect. We do not always trust in the Lord. We sin. Yes, we sin.

Thankfully, the Lord did something amazing! He sent His Son into the world to be our Savior. Think about it. We turn our back on Him and He still loves us and cares for us. We don't follow Him and He still comes searching for us. We embrace temptation and He still takes upon Himself our sinfulness, our rottenness, our breaking of the Law. That is exactly what the Son of God did. He came for us, for you and for me.

The cross! Yes, the cross is so fabulous. There on that cross, Jesus Christ gave His life. He fulfilled the Law on our behalf. What a blessing this is for us! Oh the wonderful cross, where our dear Lord suffered and died on our behalf.

And so, while we are still in this wilderness, wandering, longing for the Promised Land. We know that one day, each one of us will enter that Promised Land. But until then, we trust in the Lord, keep our eyes on Him, and proclaim that good news as we face each day.

Wandering. We do not wander aimlessly lost. The Lord has saved us. He has loved us. He has given Himself for us. Following Him, we live. Daily.

All praise to our Lord.