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Click to read: Psalm 136:16

We have all had dry times in our lives.  You know, these are times when it seems that nothing new or exciting is happening, the times when our walk with God seems to be more work than relationship. With Israel, this was a real wilderness fraught with the dangers that come from such a place.  There were wild animals.  There was a blazing hot sun.  There was cold desert weather at night.  In short, there were a lot of things to dislike and very few things to like.

But God was with them.  He was a cloud to them by day.  This helped protect them from the burning heat.  At night, as a pillar of fire, He both provided climate control for the people and showed any potential enemies that it would be a good idea not to mess with Israel.  (You can hear the marauders talking it over:  “Hey, Dabou, shall we go attack the group of people with the supernatural fire stretched out over them in the sky?  Not!”)  God also provided for their daily needs by giving them manna to eat and by causing their shoes to last a long time and their clothes not to wear out.

The wilderness was an avenue.  It always is.  Even for servants of God such as John the Baptist who spent a lot of time in the desert, God’s design is that you always come out of the desert at some point.  Be cheered.  Be encouraged.  God is with you, and He will lead you through.

Be strengthened.

Craig Thompson