Beautiful Desert Place

Therefore I am now going to allure her;

I will lead her into the desert and

speak tenderly to her.

Hosea 2:14

When God needs to get my attention and say something specific of importance to me, He takes me to the desert.

No, not the arid, dry desert place of bleached oxen skulls where travelers die for lack of water, but to an alone desert place, teaming with life and beauty. He takes me there because we can talk alone, uninterrupted by the hustle and bustle of daily life around me.

As we sit in the shade of a blooming cactus plant, He speaks tenderly to me. He'll point out how each plant and animal is specifically suited to thrive in this lonely place. Some have learned to avoid the heat and cold while others have special appendages to dissipate the heat. Often they are paler in color than their non-desert dwelling counterparts so they don't absorb as much heat from their environment and they are harder to see, allowing them to escape their predators.

Since water is such a valuable commodity in the desert, some animals retain water while others are even able to manufacture it from the dry seeds they eat. Certain mammals have developed the ability to reabsorb the water from their urine back into their systems, reducing their need for fresh water.

Eventually the conversation turns toward the relationship between the Lord and I. By this time, He has allayed my fears and calmed my spirit so I am ready to listen to all the things He needs to say to me.

He understands the difficulties of my life, my wounded, broken and bruised heart. But He has brought me here to see the wonder of His love for me. Though I am hurting, He has helped me to "adapt" through His special grace so that I not only survive life's storms, I can thrive. He shows me how to remain cool in the heat of battle. He teaches me how to quench my parched spirit with the nectar of the desert plants. When I need to learn new ways to cope with old problems, He is there, walking me through the process every step of the way.

As we sit and talk, my heart swells with joy at how much He cares - enough to speak tenderly to me and teach me His ways. The desert isn't a desolate place, but rather a special place of companionship and instruction where He can bring me back to Him. Thank you Lord for the desert places in my life!

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Today's quote was chosen by our hostess Heather. Visit her at her site, Titus 2 Woman to read her take on the quote. Be sure to leave her a comment.

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