"The Desert Classroom"

 

“The Desert Classroom”

 

In my eight decades of life God has taught me through some unique “classrooms” (see “The I-80 Classroom”, “The Chicken Coop Classroom”, “The Dugout Classroom” and “The Canine Classroom” for some examples). Along with “The I-80 Classroom” I personally lived through “The Desert Classroom”. Before describing my own experience let’s look at some Bible personalities who found themselves in literal deserts.

We begin with Moses who grew up as a prince in Egypt but never forgot his roots (Hebrews 11:24-25). He fled to the desert in Midian where he tended sheep for 40 years (Exodus 2:11-24). God then called him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt to the Promised Land (Exodus 3:1-10, where he used his desert training to guide his countrymen for 40 more years in the desert because of their disobedience and lack of faith (Numbers 14:26-35). Exodus 12-Deuteronomy 34 summarize what he learned in his desert classroom.

Let’s turn to Saul (Paul). After his conversion on the Damascus Road and ministry in the city (Acts 9:1-25) he went to the Arabian Desert for three years (Galatians 1:15-18). Scripture is largely silent about his activity there and in his hometown of Tarsus but his desert classroom prepared him for his great missionary efforts recorded in Acts 13-28 after a fruitful time with Barnabas in Antioch (Acts 11:25-26).

Jesus’ wilderness experience (Luke 4:1-13) wasn’t a time of learning but of preparation. He had to successfully resist Satan’s attempts to cause Him to sin and thus disqualify Him from being God’s perfect sacrifice for the world’s sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). He then went about His ministry “…in the power of the Spirit….” (Luke 4:14).

My desert classroom was in the late 1980’s and lasted 2 ½ years. (The before and after events stretched the education process to fourteen years.) I learned a lot during this time, much of it kicking and screaming, but with Karen’s support, the prayers and help of friends and family and God’s guidance and provision He showed me things about myself I’d never have seen otherwise. Do I want another desert classroom? Not on your life! But I wouldn’t trade the lessons I learned for anything! And God gave me a promise I’ll never forget: “…I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Are you in a desert classroom? God’s there with you as He was with me (and still is). And His promise rings true: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5, emphasis added).

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan