Exodus 16:1-8: And they journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they departed from the land of Egypt. Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the children of Israel said to them, "Oh, that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily." Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, "At evening you shall know that the LORD has brought you out of the land of Egypt. And in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD; for He hears your complaints against the LORD. But what are we, that you complain against us?" Also Moses said, "This shall be seen when the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the LORD hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the LORD."
Matthew 4:1-4: Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward he was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"
GOD LOVES US, and when we are in the wilderness (physically, emotionally, psychologically, socially, financially, or spiritually), He is always with us--never to leave us or forsake us.
In the wilderness when we are being tested, the question is never whether or not GOD will hear, answer, lift, save, deliver, heal, protect, or save us; the real question--the one that reveals our FAITH more than the words of our mouths--is this: Will we TRUST GOD?
The HOLY BIBLE is full of men and women who were carried or led into the wilderness, and usually it was in their wilderness that they were tested, that they found true faith, and that they encountered GOD.
In the wilderness, we find ABRAHAM surrendering all to GOD, including his only son ISAAC; we find HAGAR, cast out with her son ISHMAEL and on the verge of death, never expecting a WORD from the LORD.
We find JACOB wrestling GOD for his blessing and a new name, ISRAEL.
We find MOSES, first at the burning bush and later trusting GOD to lead him and the Israelites to the Promised Land.
We find JOHN the BAPTIST preaching repentance, baptizing in water, and preparing the way for the Lord; and we find JESUS, fasting and hungry but faithful and strong because He knew JEHOVAH JIREH; He knew His Father, GOD.
Even in the wilderness, GOD DOES NOT CHANGE; He is the same today, tomorrow, and forever: He is GOOD. He is JUST. He is LOVE. HIS WORD is PERFECT and HIS WORD is TRUTH, and this WORD says, GOD shall supply all our need according to His riches in glory by CHRIST JESUS; this WORD says that all things work together for good to those who love GOD and are the called according to His purpose' and this WORD says, greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.
So, wherever we are, including in a wilderness--anywhere we are tested--GOD IS THERE, always with us. All we have to do when times get tough and we find ourselves in the wilderness is BELIEVE GOD's WORD and TRUST GOD for our protection and provision; then, we'll pass this test, and GOD will ENTRUST us with greater things.
