Day 17 | The Greats in Deserts
Hebrews 11:38-40
38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. 39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
OBSERVATION
Day four, the last day of solitude.
Henri Nouwen once said, “Without solitude it is virtually impossible to live a spiritual life.”
Woah. That’s quite the claim. No solitude = weak spiritual life. No quiet place = little spiritual depth. I think Henri is on to something...
Hebrews 11 is known as the “Hall of Faith” because the author mentions great leaders of the faith. Abraham. Isaac. Jacob. Moses. Joseph. Moses. Rahab. Gideon. Barak. Samson. Jephthah. David. Samuel. The Prophets. And millions of nameless others. This “great cloud of witnesses,” because of their faith in God, did great things for God, which all led to Jesus and His Kingdom. (Hebrews 12) These ordinary men and women trusted in God when it was hard. When it was impossible. Hebrews 11:37 says that some of these were “sawed in two.” Woah. They were willing to lose their lives because they trusted in God and what He called them to do in their lifetime.
What I find intriguing is in verse 38. After telling us about these great leaders who have gone before us, the author says that “...they wandered in deserts.” (Hebrews 11:38) The word deserts is eremos. This is the Greek word for wilderness, a desolate place, or a quiet place. In other words, these great people, whose faith-filled lives inspire us, spent lots of time in solitude with God. They would spend weeks, months, and years alone with Yahweh in lonely places. Hearing from Him. Being transformed by Him. Combating the lies of the enemy. And then emerging back into society to faithfully obey whatever God spoke. These folks lived the types of lives that many of us dream of.
But guess what? It’s not just a dream. We can too. Really! By the Power of the Spirit, we too can live our lives by faith, but it’s not going to happen by accident. Not by mere chance. It’s God’s job to do what only He can do. It’s our job to make ourselves available to Him so that He can do those things through us. Like raising the dead, casting out demons, healing the sick, or preaching the Good News. God wants us to partner with Him and live as faithful witnesses, joining the great heroes of the faith.
So, do you want to be a part of the Hall of Faith and have a powerful spiritual life? Then, go into the eremos, fix your eyes on Jesus, listen for His Voice, and obey whatever He tells you to do.
APPLICATION
For the fourth time, find a quiet place without distractions. Relax into God’s presence. With each breath, focus your mind on God and His love for you. If your mind begins to wander, re-center your thoughts by quietly praying, “Jesus,” or “Come, Holy Spirit.” Listen for His Voice. Listen for direction. Listen for His Word to and over you. After you're done, offer thanks to God.