Luke chapter 3 verses 1-3 (NIV)
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
As Christians, we often talk of a “wilderness experience” as a difficult or barren time. Sometimes that’s true because we have made decisions that have taken us to that place, but it is not always the case. Jesus was led in to the wilderness at the start of His Ministry. It was a time of preparation. John was called to live and work in the wilderness. It was in the wilderness that the word of God came to him.
It’s a reminder again that if we find ourselves in a wilderness situation, we must do what we learned about yesterday. We must open our hearts to see what God wants to teach us. It may be to repent and get back on trac, or it may be to prepare ourselves for God to do something specific in our lives. Either way we need not be afraid because Jesus is there with us, and we can see a mighty work of God done, even in the desert place. Look how many people went out to the wilderness to listen to John and were changed as a result.
Dear Lord,
Help me always to be open to what You would teach me, even in the difficult wilderness places. I must always remember that the Holy Spirit is always there to guide me. May I always follow His leading. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.