Making a field out of sand

 This evening, Hub and I went up to church for an Ash Wednesday contemplative worship service during which The Vic spoke briefly about periods of passing through the desert. He remarked how Moses and all the Israelites were only meant to spend a few weeks going from one end to the other yet they traipsed around the desert for FORTY YEARS!!!!!!! Our times in the desert are not forever. We can take steps to move on out!

 As he spoke, I was searching thro my bible looking for a verse for another reason (yes, I know, shame on me :) and anyway, I came across a piece of paper with these verses on from Isaiah 54 in the NLT...

11 "O storm-battered city, troubled and desolate! I will rebuild you on a foundation of sapphires and make the walls of your houses from precious jewels.     I will make your towers of sparkling rubies and your gates and walls of shining gems.    I will teach all your citizens, and their prosperity will be great.


and pencilled by it was 'Coming to St John's, Nov 2011

I remembered those verses standing out to me as a promise from God at the time as I WAS feeling storm-battered etc. and couldn't see how or whether God would change things for me, even as I prayed that He would grow me again and reignite my passion for Him.

We'd wrestled, Hub and I, whether to move church to SJH and at this point, we had decided to commit despite certain reservations and uncertainty whether it was the 'right' thing to do

Around that time, I had come across the saying,

'Let the rest of your life be the best of your life.' 

I wanted it to be true for me but couldn't see how it possibly could be with such a good life behind us already.

At this time, change seemed out of reach or possibility. It was turned round by putting ourselves in the way of getting involved with things, taking opportunities offered to us, making an effort to get to know people afresh at SJH and keeping on calling out to God. At times it was hard going and tiring but God used it all. We saw vision emerging from the new vicar who arrived just 2 weeks after us and were excited by it. God was so gracious and my rebuilding is well under way 

I was reflecting in the time alone we had tonight, that currently, my heart is mainly joyful in Him and whatever lies ahead, these last 18 months or so are a time I could look back on and declare that God faithful to His word. 
In a sense, this wasn't a field I considered and bought but more like an oasis in a desert that turned into a field that, until God makes me, I ain't selling!
No - the desert should not be a forever experience. We must be careful not to get too used to wandering in it to the point of familiarity which leads us to fear of leaving it. As the saying goes,
 'No-one ever made a permanent home in the desert'

I love the 'Footprints in the Sand' text but came across this parody which is so resonant...