We continue with our Lenten series on Wilderness.
Some of us are exploring the theme by mediating on our wilderness art we created. Some of us are exploring it through the devotionals or prayer cards we picked up from church. Some of us are exploring it through the Wilderness Walks on Tuesday afternoons. And some of us are exploring it through our very lives.
When you wander through wilderness times in your life, how do you find sustenance and encouragement? Sometimes it might mean receiving it from an unexpected place, in an unexpected way. Come on Sunday to join us in that exploration of the theme.
Here’s a reflection on Wilderness from the team at Sanctified Art.
“Growing up, I always heard ‘wilderness’ spoken of in hushed tones, with a sense of fear and foreboding. It was not a place anyone would go voluntarily. I was warned away from the wilderness, told to avoid it at all costs.
“As I’ve gotten older, many of the things that I’ve been told are evil have shifted and transformed as I’ve begun to see the beauty within them. Those things which we find strange or uncomfortable are not always malicious — in fact, they are often the exact places where God works.
“God calls us to wilderness to use our discomfort to stretch us, challenge us, and equip us to more completely reflect God. The number of biblical texts that point us toward the wilderness helps me remember that I am not a failure when I wander into wilderness spaces. I didn’t fail at avoiding the wilderness.
“Rather, I am a child held in God’s hand, brought to the wilderness to encounter the Spirit in ways I could never have imagined. I am led to the wilderness to let go of the self I cling to so fiercely, to be re-formed into a more vibrant disciple.”
— SLATS TOOLE, GUEST CONTRIBUTOR
Don’t forget this Sunday is “Spring Ahead” time!
Pastor Amara
