What did you go out in the wilderness to see?

“‘What did you go out in the wilderness (desert) to see?’” (the Bible, Matthew 11:7, AMPC)

At first glance, you don’t find much in a desert: arid land, solitude, difficulties, storms, disorientation…Yet, there’s so much life in the desert…

It’s in the desert that Jesus began His public ministry. And quite often, God led His prophets into the desert to speak to them. It’s in the desert that a bush lit up in flames and a man, Moses, caught fire for his mission.

Often God draws us into the desert to speak to us…from mouth to mouth. For the word “desert,” in Hebrew, is also translated “mouth.” The silence of the desert allows God’s still, small voice to finally be heard. God says, “‘…I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there.’” (see Hosea 2:14, NLT)   

When God draws us into the desert, it’s because He wants to talk to us. There, far from the commotion of our hyper-connected lives, the ever-present promotions and ads, we rediscover the One the Bible calls the root out of dry ground. If we pay attention, the tender shoot, Jesus, is indeed there, in the desert.

“‘What did you go out in the wilderness (desert) to see?’” Jesus asked. For it’s in the wilderness of Judea that John the Baptist preached. There wasn’t much to see; yet in this desert place, so many pathways were found once again by listening to this voice crying out in the wilderness.

It’s in this same desert that the heavens opened and the Father’s voice was heard as He spoke of Jesus, saying, “‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’” (Matthew 3:17, NKJV)

Today, there may be nothing to see in your desert, but there is someone to listen to. He will tell you, “You are My beloved son, My beloved daughter. I am well pleased with you. You will not always stay in this desert but will enter into a new land, the one I promised you. I love you.”