I’ve been noticing how the Jewish people I know, or know of, are always saying, “Everything happens for a reason.” And they usually say it unapologetically and with real conviction. The more I think about their words, the more my faith in God is growing.
*******
Commemorating Your Medbar
By Messianic Rabbi Jonathan Cahn
Midbar is the Hebrew word for wilderness. We usually think of the wilderness as a single place, but it’s really not. There are many Hebrew names for various wildernesses. For instance, there’s Midbar Yehuda; the Wilderness of Judea where John (John the Baptist) preached. Then there’s Midbar Negev; the Wilderness of the Negev where Abraham pitched his tent. And there’s Midbar Sinai; the Wilderness of Sinai through which Moses and the Israelites journeyed. Then there are a host of other smaller wildernesses: Midbar Zin, Midbar Paran, and so on. Each wilderness had a different name. The Hebrews didn’t just go through wildernesses. They named each of them. It means they wanted to remember them. They saw them as something meaningful in some way. So, we all go through wildernesses. Rarely do we value them or seek to remember them. But you should remember them. For God uses them to grow you and make you more like Him. So rejoice in your wilderness because in the Lord it will only be used for good as you look to Him. For the Hebrews gave names to their midbars.
Today’s Mission: Today, give thanks to God for your wilderness, even give a beautiful name to a wilderness in your life that ended up bringing you to God’s blessings.
And he (Jesus) withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.
Luke 5:16
*******
I’ve written about our time of living in Oregon in the 80s and 90s. I used to think it was a super-difficult time, a time when I thought God was so far from us, I was so scared and confused. However, God used that precious time to heal us, to teach us so many good things about marriage and family, to set me on a path to being a better husband, to get our attention, to separate us to Him, to bless us and teach us His ways and to bring us closer to His presence. We’re so thankful for our Oregon wilderness experience. Truly, we needed our Oregon wilderness time. We’re so thankful God knew (and knows) what we needed.
God bless,
Mark