Which do you prefer? I have seen the writing on the wall at a national restaurant chain known for their pies that “stressed spelled backwards is DESSERTS!” That is definitely one way to handle stress! But have you ever thought of the promised land of Heaven as dessert? Me neither, until writing this article.
Deserts and desserts have more in common than adding an “s” to one of the spellings. For some of us, the desert might be likened to an intense span of wilderness wanderings as we encounter trials and testing of many kinds. For the Christ-follower, our response in the desert has the potential to culminate with the desserts of spiritual maturity (righteousness), peace, and renewed purpose – when we seek the Lord and His calling for us in those desert experiences. Moses’ life gives us some insight into this.
Moses spent his first forty years thinking he was somebody with his formal Egyptian education and upbringing in the palace.
Moses spent his second forty years in the desert, learning he was a nobody, humbled by a shepherding lifestyle of solitude and time with God in the fields.
Moses spent his final forty years discovering what God can do with a nobody as he returned to Egypt to be God’s spokesman for His Hebrew people, and then led His people through the wilderness of trials while teaching them God’s Law.
God used Moses’ midlife desert experiences to grow his spiritual maturity so that God could use him for His purposes. I think of Hebrews 12:11 at this point:
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.
Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace
for those who have been trained by it.
You may feel like you’re learning painful disciplines in the desert and God is teaching you to be still and know that I am God. You may feel like you’re leading others through their desert experiences, pointing them to seek God and experience His peace and purpose for them. Or you may be preparing for the dessert of climbing that last mountain and getting a glimpse of the promised land. I liken the promised land to the dessert of what is to come when Christ-followers leave this earth and enter heaven with its gloriosity. Like they say at the ‘ol church picnics – and maybe at the pie places, “save your fork – the best is yet to come!
NOTE #1: gloriosity (I made that word up as I can’t put a word on how incredibly awe-inspiring heaven will be!)
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