Coming Back Full

“Now Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wild.” (Luke 4:1) Jesus left the Jordan for the Negev. That may not mean a lot if you’ve never set foot in Israel, but picture with me…

A Father’s Provision

“You feed them from the abundance of Your own house.” (Psalm 36:8 NLT) Our God provides for His own. We see this so clearly in the wilderness, with the children of the Exodus picking their way toward Promised Land. God brought bread like dew on…

Full Bloom

“Wilderness and desert will sing joyously, the badlands will celebrate and flower – like the crocus in the spring, bursting into blossom of song and color.” (Isaiah 35:1 MSG) I’ve been to Israel and witnessed firsthand the wilderness Isaiah writes of. It’s a dreary business:…

Letting the Jar Settle

“At once the Spirit sent Him out to the wilderness.” (Mark 1:12 NIV) I suppose I’ve been thinking about wilderness since we first drove into the Negev (southern Judean wilderness) ten days ago. I had expected bleak, but my expectations hadn’t prepared me for the…