What comes at the end of the wilderness journey . . .
“So the Lord gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. The Lord gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.”
(Joshua 21:43–45)
What a mighty and reassuring promise, dearest Lord!
Though the Lenten wilderness journey contains confrontations with my enemy on many fronts inside my being, yet Your victory is proclaimed and guaranteed!
You take this chance, my Lord, to strike the roots of many corrupt areas inside my being, which are at other times outside of this season impossible to strike. Our enemy panics in sheer terror at Your mighty salvation which strikes with mighty divine power at these roots in the deepest parts of my soul. As the battles over these areas rage on through these weeks, at times it may become difficult to foresee and remain assured of the blessed victory and rest which is promised and later comes.
Yet I hear and cling to Your promise, which You alone are able to keep in spite of my weakness and falls, in spite of my enemy’s uprisings, in spite of my circumstances which try to convince me otherwise: You will possess the land of my soul in entirety, You will give me rest from my enemies all around, You will fulfill every word and every promise You have spoken to me. Yes, Your great and eternal salvation will prevail above all else and be absolutely manifested in my being! For You love, O my Lord, to find a soul which turns wholly to You that You may manifest Your salvation within her.
“Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?”
“I am a wall,
And my breasts like towers;
Then I became in his eyes
As one who found peace.”
(Song of Solomon 8:5, 10)
I will emerge from this wilderness leaning upon my Beloved, for through this journey He will make me a mature and fortified wall, with breasts like towers, and I will indeed become in His eyes as one who has finally found peace . . .
Thank You, Almighty Lord and Master!