December 8

He led his people through the desert, His love endures forever.
Psalm 136:16 (NIV)

Desert in this passage can also be translated, wilderness, and at some point in our Christian lives, we’ve all probably felt like we were wandering in the wilderness. Through Moses, God led the Jewish people on a 40-year trek through the desert. While it’s possible to experience a decades-long wilderness, the Jews were experiencing the result of blatant disobedience.

As Christ-followers we can experience periods of wilderness-wandering for many different reasons; it’s how we respond that matters. Jesus spent forty days in the desert, and the devil repeatedly tried to tempt him. He was unsuccessful because Jesus used truths found in scripture as a sword to cut through the devil’s lies.

That’s how we know Jesus leads us through the desert-times. He’s given us the Holy Spirit, and scripture. His presence in our lives — and our reliance on him – marks the difference between wandering and being led. If we let him, he will lead us, forever, because that’s how much he loves us.

For Today: Do you feel like you’re in a season of wandering right now, or a season of being led? Why?