The Midbar

“For those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength”

(Isaiah 40:31)

Midbar.  It is the Hebrew word for wilderness.  The wilderness was where the Hebrews wandered for forty years because of their sin.  In Israel the wilderness was, and still is, like a giant empty space of rock.  It has rock hills, rock plains, rock mountains, and even rock valleys.  If you do any gardening, you know that if you want to plant something that will grow, the last thing you need in your garden are rocks.  Nothing grows in rock.  And that is why our Hebrew word Midbar also means “wasted place” and “desolate.”

But here’s the thing about the wilderness in Israel.  When it rains in the wilderness, the entire scene changes.  The dry beds fill up with water and become flowing streams in the desert.  The rock hills are suddenly covered with a coat of green speckled with beautiful flowers of every color.  It is a miraculous sight to see. 

Perhaps your life right now seems to be a dry wilderness.  You feel hopeless.  A situation or person in your life makes everything seem desolate.  Your finances have upset your applecart.  Your past keeps your mind twisted in a knot.  Your faith is weakening, and your hope is waning.  Your spiritual life that once seemed like an oasis, now feels like a desert.  You hide your true emotions because you don’t want anyone to know how discouraged you are.

But I want to remind you of one other thing about Israel’s Midbar that you may have forgotten about.  The Midbar is where God gave the Hebrews the Ten Commandments, his religious and ethical directives to guide their life by.  The Midbar is also where God built a Tabernacle of worship and praise for his people to enjoy him.  The Midbar is where God provided his people with a pillar of cloud and fire to protect them and light their way.  And we can’t forget how in the Midbar God gave the Hebrews an amazing supply of manna and quail.   

So, if you are in your Midbar right now, don’t give up.  There are showers of joy, life, hope, and love waiting for God to water so they can blossom in your life.  All you need to do is open your heart to God’s Spirit and wait for your desert to bloom.

                                                      Darlene