How do you respond to spending time in the desert?

I know the desert is beautiful and lovely, for a day or two, but how about months or years? I am not sure I could spend my life in a desert.  It's arduous and feels desolate and lonely.  I would rather spend my years beside cool waters, on a rock face, near a forest.  A season in the wilderness or desert is probably good for me but it's getting tiring.  I think of the Israelites "wandering" in the desert for 40 years.  Seriously, I wouldn't make it without complaining, not even a month probably.  I am not sure how any of them made it across the River Jordan and really am not surprised that very few did.


I like to think that I would be like Joshua and Caleb, but really I probably would have died in the desert, even though God's manifest presence was there, day and night.  I am not very good at living in desolate places nor am I good at trusting the Lord yet.  So that's probably what the Lord is trying to teach me in this season....trust.

The Lord uses worship songs and music to speak to me and to connect with me.  He really places songs in my path with pointed messages for me, in answer to my call to Him, or in answer to my conversations with Him. For those of you who spend time in church you are probably thinking "so what?", God connects with everyone through music and why wouldn't worship music speak to everyone.....but I think God uses different media for different people in different ways.

The Lord does not move in scripture quite the same way He moves in music for me. I love scripture and He does speak to me through it, but when I really want to connect with the Lord, my love language is music/singing/songs, especially His Word put to music. And as much as I can have some theological discussion or read good books and He speaks through those.  And as much as I enjoy watching people dance and paint and use their gifts in worship of the Lord......my whole being comes alive when I am singing in worship!


So I have come across a song that might not be new to you, but it is rather new to me and has become a beacon of light in this dry and weary wilderness season, so I will share it with you.

God I Look To You - Jenn Johnson/Ian McIntosh

God I look to you

I won't be overwhelmed

Give me vision

To see things like you do

Lord I look to you

I won't be overwhelmed

Give me wisdom

You know just what to do

I will love You Lord my strength 

I will love You Lord my shield 

I will love You Lord my rock forever 

All my days I will love You God 

Hallelujah our God reigns 

Hallelujah our God reigns 

Hallelujah our God reigns forever 

All my days Hallelujah 

Tag (sung by an IHOP-KC worship team): 

I lift my eyes 

Up to the hills 

Where does my help come from 

It comes from You and You alone