Desert Places

Hosea 2: 14-15 "Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards and will make the valley of Achor* a door of hope. There she will sing as in the days of her youth." (*Achor=trouble)

This is what is written directly after it is explained how terribly broken their relationship has become. He knows he has been forgotten by her, that she has been trying to gratify her desires elsewhere, that she thinks her treasures have come from her lovers when all the time they had been supplied by him. He has responded by barring her way to her lovers and taking away the treasures she has accrued. He has been utterly rejected and yet decides that he is going to sweet-talk her back to him and restore her gifts. She will be allured to the desert. What is this? After she has cheated on him and he has taken everything from her, he will attract her to the desert! She will willingly go to this dry, arid place to be with a man she betrayed. Why?It seems absurd, yet I find that there can indeed be something very alluring about desert places. Oftentimes I've wondered how much I would benefit from finding myself in a solitary hole where my basic needs are met and I can focus solely on revealing truths about myself and my relationship with God. In fact, there are times when I find myself longing for that to really be a possibility. Yes, there is something to be said for desert places. They are places free from distraction, places to focus on the relationship with the one you love... to hear his tender words... to see the value of his gifts. In them we become aware of our thirst. Because we are in such an uncomfortable place, we realize how much we are supported by God. It is from these places full of troubles that we are able to see the hope that is just around the bend. That is when we remember the sacrifices made for us, when we acknowledge that all we have comes from him. The best part is that when we reconcile ourselves back to his truths, he welcomes us again with open arms and perfect love. Lucky for us he is a patient and forgiving God.