What “Wilderness” has God put you in?

 

Where has God put you and where will you go?

Where has God put you and where will you go?

The word wilderness derives from the notion of “wildness”—in other words, that which is not controlled by humans, even the government!. The mere presence or activity of people does not disqualify an area from being “wilderness.” Another definition of wilderness is a place uninhabited by human beings.  But you are in your own little wilderness. Well then ,what are you doing there?  Just passing through?

What I’ve found in the Holy Bible is that there are many instances shown where the wilderness was the setting for a learning moment, a time closer to God, even life changing events.  Jesus Himself had a ministry in “towns and urban settings”.  But a lot of His most important works and decisions were made in the “wilderness” be it a mountain top, or a body of water, the sea, or just the general wilderness itself.

In the old testament the Israelites experienced a lifetime of works and decisions in the wilderness.  They didn’t choose to be in their wilderness.   We can read that the wilderness they were in was filled with danger, heartaches, disappointments, sin, corruption, etc., etc.  BUT,…… at the same time the wilderness provided them a place to grow closer to God, to experience God, to hear from God.

That’s why I say that I am a wilderness preacher.  We are all in some form of wilderness.  Your wilderness may have more concrete and manmade buildings than these Colorado mountains I’m looking at while writing this.  Your wilderness may have lots of people going in and out of it.  Lots more people than what I’m presently seeing.  Well, as far as I can see from this mountain view, there is no one for miles around.  Maybe a hiker, or climber, or trail rider will be passing through.

Maybe your wilderness is filled with people telling you what you can do, what you can’t do.  They are telling you which flag is wrong, which beliefs are wrong.  They will tell you what is politically correct.  They will tell you everything you need to know about your own life.  Groups of people, and even governments are now in the business of “Controlling” people.  But from what I see, the more groups and Governments try to “control” the more it turns to chaos and confusion.  A sense of “wildness” has overtaken our “civilized” world.  Here you are living in this “wildness”, ……. and your own wilderness.

God has put you on this Earth to travel through your very own little bit of wilderness.  It is and will be filled with danger, heartaches, disappointments, sin, etc., etc.  But there are and will be many opportunities to grow closer to God, experience, and hear from Him.

One of my buddies at The Noble Heart campfire gatherings we have (online weekly) reminded me of what our journey truly is.  We think of ourselves as physical beings with occasional spiritual times.  But what we truly are is this.  We are spiritual beings with an occasional physical time.  This temporary physical time is called a “lifetime”.  It’s an opportunity to experience “life”.  We get to experience, pain, suffering, yes, even sin.  But our Lord also gives us a choice to experience His forgiveness, His power, His love.

God gives each of us a soul.  It’s a personal area of wilderness because it cannot be controlled by humans.  What’s so amazing is that God Himself doesn’t want to “control” your heart and soul.  He knows you don’t control “wilderness”. You (and He)live in it.  You don’t “do” wilderness, you “BE” in it.  He wants to love you.  God is in my personal wilderness.  What about yours?

John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”  John 1:23

 

 

Who holds you accountable?

Who holds you accountable?

Who holds you accountable?

“You have done something wrong“.  When someone tells you that,…….. well, it depends on who that someone is as to whether you become defensive, mad, or at least willing to listen.

When someone calls you out on something that you’ve done wrong, it’s hard to accept.  Especially when you take matters into your own hands, are an independent person able to make his/her own decisions, and basically think that you know all there is to know about the situation.  That would be me,……. and you,….. and people in general.  We are able to justify at the drop of a hat why we are doing what is now being told to us is wrong.

Brett D. is my CPA, my accountant.  He keeps me organized and helps me with paperwork.  He knows all the forms that must be filed.  He completes all the reports needed to back up any and all transactions in my business world.  He’s a cool guy.  I like being around him.  But now he’s gone too far, because he is saying I’m in the wrong.

The short version of our conversation is this.  The numbers don’t add up.  Unless I just want to pay bunches and bunches of extra taxes, (and hurt myself in the process, $$$), then I must admit I’ve made an error and correct it.  When I explain about my new computer and the new program with lots of bells and whistles that does all this neat stuff, he patiently listens.  Then he quietly asks me, “Who types in all the numbers and info?”  I say I do.  He quickly says, “well, there’s your problem.  You my friend, have made a mistake and it’s going to hurt you big time.”

I suddenly feel that awful feeling of someone else telling me I’m wrong.  It’s a kick to the gut.  I’m feeling like that 3 legged cat being jumped on by the dogs.  And, it’s probably true.  I am wrong, and it’s gonna hurt  myself unless I fix it.

Proverbs 27:17 The Message  You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another.

A most difficult situation ever faced as a human is to be told (by another human) that you are wrong.  An even more difficult situation is to be a human who loves another person, who cares for them, who doesn’t want to see them get hurt, and now feels they must tell them, “you are wrong”.  Brett is my friend.  He knows me.  He is in a position where he can see my actions.  He is close enough to me that he and I both know that he holds me accountable.  It’s just that simple.

Iron sharpens iron.  Do you know of someone who can hold you accountable?  Someone who tells you what they see.  No “do it my way”, no “making you feel like dirt”, no “be like me” person.  Do you know someone who genuinely cares about your journey enough that out of love they say, “You’ve done something wrong”?  Iron sharpens iron.

Now that you are thinking about this, Are you someone who genuinely cares about someone else that you could say to them they are wrong.  And do it without being that “know it all”, “my way is better than you’re way”, “make everyone feel stupid”, “holier than thou” person that everyone hates.  It take love and concern given from above as the first step.

When you have developed an “iron sharpens iron” friendship with another Christian, you have taken another step on this Christian journey.

Brett, I’ve found my stupid mistake.  I owe you big time.  I owe you an “iron sharpens iron” friendship!  You da man!

See Ya!   Dan Ainsworth  wilderness preacher

Living instead of dying

My Indian Flute  From a Storm Damaged Tree, to something "Alive"

My Indian Flute From a Storm Damaged Tree, to something “Alive”

For whatever reason, a powerful storm named Hurricane Katrina came through and heavily damaged my farm and timberland.  One particular tree was uprooted and destroyed.  This tree was such a big part of my life.  Now what?

This tree was once a growing beautiful cedar tree.  It could be seen by all.  Now it’s nothing but shattered pieces of wood.  Too damaged for anything but firewood.  But, but, there is a part of it that seems to be “calling out to me”.  I saw off a piece of the trunk that contains the heart wood.  Now a new journey begins.

This piece of wood is now shaped, and carved, and designed, and …….. created to be something even more special to me.  It’s not a piece of wood anymore.  It is my Native American flute.  I made it.  It now makes beautiful music with a most haunting sound.  From a dead and dying situation, now comes an instrument that brings a soothing sound when played.  This flute comes alive and causes those to hear it to “come alive” as well.

2 Corinthians 5:17  If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature:  old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Think about it!  Even as a Christian, even as we follow our Lord and Saviour, for whatever reason, powerful storms come into our lives.  Something that is such a big part of our lives is suddenly uprooted and destroyed.  A marriage gets torn apart, your job is suddenly being laid off, the health you’ve enjoyed for years now uprooted and destroyed.  Now what?

When the going gets tough the ……….     I know you just finished the saying.  The tough get going.  Yep, but that’s how us humans think every situation should be handled.  Man up!  Take charge!  Take care of it and move on!   Easier said than done, right.

Could it be that even when the storms bring their damage that God still has a plan and design for you His child?  It is hard to see (and especially understand) that He will still be there.  Just like the flute, He continues to shape, carve, and create you to be His creation.  Why would God continue to do this?  Love.  My flute is special to me because I made it.  You are special to God because He made you.  He loves you plain and simple.

When the going gets tough…….. the tough “come alive” as God shapes, carves, designs, and continues to create you to be something even more special to Him.  He takes that part that contains your Heart!

Thank you God for being there with me and my friends.

(To hear the flute being played, click on the video below)