Into the Desert with Jesus

 You have surrounded me on every side, behind me and before me,

    and You have placed Your hand gently on my shoulder.

(Psalm 139:5, The Voice)

Who is this coming up from the wilderness

    leaning on her beloved?

(Song of Songs 8:5a, NIV)

Garden of Gethsemane

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Very early in the morning, 

while it was still dark, 

Jesus got up, 

left the house 

and went off to a solitary place, 

where he prayed.

(Mark 1:35, NIV)

We are asked to follow the footsteps of our Lord when they are not clear on the road, and even when the road runs through desert. 

Going into the desert we are never quite sure what to expect. Being alone can be peaceful, or frightening, or just don't nothing. But coming out of the desert we find that we are leaning on him in a new way. 

The Russian word poustinia only means desert, but is the name given to the wooden hut where someone is shut away for time alone with God. 

It is a typical experience for the person undergoing poustinia to feel nothing is happening at all, but as they emerge they find others waiting, pressing them to share what God has given them in the poustinia. 

And they will not be disappointed.

(Northumbria, Aidan readings, Dec. 5)