“They found grace out in the desert….” Jeremiah 31:2 (MSG)
The desert is where you find yourself in the midst of wandering. You don’t seek out the desert. It’s not on the list of places you want to be.
“I think I’ll pack a lunch and head out to the desert.” Right.
The deserted wasteland is where you wake up bloodied and bruised with the pounding head of a terrible hangover and rack your brain to remember just what happened the night before. You take a shortcut and suddenly find yourself lost and long delayed there. You seek the fabled fortunes that you heard lay just beyond. Not only do you not find the fortunes, you also can’t find your way out of the wasteland.
I wonder if we all find ourselves in deserts of our own choosing at some point in life. I wonder if it isn’t necessary to the journey. Perhaps it’s just me. I can recall multiple deserts along my own particular trek (I admit it: I’m a slow learner). Maybe that’s why I love the way Jeremiah put it in today’s chapter: The desert is where you find grace. It’s where you find God looking for you, willing to lead you out and lead you forward.
“…I once was lost, but now am found…”
