“From Scripture we see that God seems to have a fondness for dealing with his chosen ones in the physical desert. He shaped a people for Himself on the desert journey from Egypt to Canaan. In the desert people are quickly confronted with basic issues: despair or trust, freedom or slavery, life or death. In the desert, perhaps better than anywhere, God can teach His servants the lesson of total reliance on Him because there is nothing else for them to rely on.”
-- Charles Cummings, "Spirituality and the Desert Experience"
It's been a long time. I've been out of school for more than a year. I've learned a lot, seen a lot and (hopefully) grown a lot. But in the midst of it all, I'm still suffering in one form or another. The above quote came from one of my last papers for Seminary. I started reading my work from the independent study and amazingly, so much of it even helped today. In November 2004, I prayed for a repentant heart. I had no idea that God would answer it like this. I had no idea about the heartbreak, the constant thoughts of "when will this end?" And lately, my plea for "no more."
“Even in the desert of loneliness God remains our Father, who loves and wishes to prepare us in the desert for an intimacy we cannot imagine”
-- Charles Cummings, "Spirituality and the Desert Experience"
Really? Well, I have to say yes. Who can see God and live? That's the way it works. In the past month, I've heard the word "priests" many times. One of my friends had an idea that the priest are the ones who can enter the Holy of Holies for intimate communion with God. In the midst of church last week, I felt "communion" was stirring in my soul. That's all I wanted. I forgot about everything. But man, the cost ...
“As we begin to let go of sinful impediments and live in true poverty of spirit, turning always to God as flowers to the sun, we shall soon be transformed into the persons we were meant by God to be”
--Susan Muto, “Dark Night for Today: The Ascent"
