Finding Divine Comfort in Our Desert Experiences

Devotional

Day 1: Divine Comfort in Discomfort

In times of discomfort, God's comfort is not about removing challenges but about His presence transforming our experience. This divine comfort teaches us to rely on God rather than seeking a life of ease. Jesus' journey into the desert exemplifies this truth, as He was led by the Spirit into a place of isolation and danger. There, He learned to pray, "Your will be done," a prayer that sustained Him through His trials. This comfort is available to us today, allowing us to experience peace even in the midst of life's challenges. [00:23]

Isaiah 43:2 (ESV): "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you."

Reflection: What is one area of discomfort in your life where you can invite God's transformative presence today?

Day 2: Shalom: God's Vision for Creation

The concept of shalom is central to understanding God's vision for creation. Shalom is more than just peace; it is a state of harmony and mutual delight between God, humanity, and creation. This vision begins with Jesus' presence in the desert, where He was with the wild animals and cared for by angels. This imagery signifies the beginning of the restoration of creation's intended harmony. As followers of Christ, we are called to participate in this vision, bringing shalom to our relationships and communities. [03:54]

Isaiah 11:6-7 (ESV): "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox."

Reflection: How can you actively contribute to God's vision of shalom in your community this week?

Day 3: Restoration of Creation's Harmony

Jesus' time in the desert with wild animals symbolizes the restoration of creation's intended harmony. This is a foretaste of the kingdom of God, where natural enemies coexist peacefully, reflecting the ultimate reconciliation of all things. This imagery reminds us that God's kingdom often begins in places of danger and discomfort. As we face our own challenges, we are invited to be agents of this restoration, bringing peace and reconciliation to a broken world. [05:18]

Colossians 1:19-20 (ESV): "For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross."

Reflection: What is one relationship or situation in your life where you can be an agent of reconciliation today?

Day 4: Angels and Divine Care

Angels play a significant role in God's care and protection, as seen in Jesus' desert experience. They remind us of the unseen spiritual realities that support us in our journey, even when we face trials. This divine care is available to us as we dwell in the shelter of the Most High, resting in His shadow. Trusting in God's care allows us to navigate life's challenges with confidence, knowing that we are not alone. [07:30]

Psalm 34:7 (ESV): "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them."

Reflection: In what ways can you become more aware of God's unseen care and protection in your life today?

Day 5: Resting in God's Shadow

In our own deserts, we are called to dwell in the shelter of the Most High, resting in His shadow. This posture allows us to receive God's comfort and become agents of shalom, bringing His peace to a broken world. As we trust in His care and protection, we are empowered to face life's challenges with courage and hope. This divine rest is not passive but an active trust in God's presence and provision. [09:54]

Psalm 91:1-2 (ESV): "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'"

Reflection: How can you intentionally create space in your daily routine to rest in God's presence and receive His comfort?

Sermon Summary

At the end of a challenging year, God is doing something new through Jesus Christ, offering us a new kind of comfort. This comfort doesn't necessarily mean a life of ease or the absence of challenges. Instead, it is a divine comfort that meets us precisely in our places of discomfort. As we reflect on the transition from 2020 to 2021, it's important to recognize that a change in the calendar doesn't guarantee a more comfortable year. We see this in the life of Jesus, who was driven by the Spirit into the desert—a place of isolation and danger. In the desert, Jesus learned to pray, "Your will be done," a prayer that would sustain Him even in the Garden of Gethsemane.

In Mark's account, Jesus is with the wild animals and cared for by angels in the desert. This imagery is significant, as wild animals often symbolize danger and chaos. However, in the biblical narrative, there is a promise of a new day when creation will be restored to its intended harmony, a state known as shalom. Shalom is more than just peace; it is the rich interweaving of human beings, creation, and God in harmony and mutual delight. This vision is echoed in the prophets, such as Isaiah, who speak of a time when natural enemies will coexist peacefully.

Jesus' presence with the wild animals signifies the beginning of the restoration of shalom. It is a reminder that God's kingdom, where His will is done, often begins in places of danger and discomfort. This is a profound truth for us today. We may find ourselves in our own deserts, facing challenges and discomfort. Yet, it is precisely in these places that we can experience God's comfort and become agents of shalom. We are invited to dwell in the shelter of the Most High, resting in the shadow of the Almighty, and trusting in His care and protection.

Key Takeaways

1. God's comfort often comes in places of discomfort, teaching us to rely on His presence rather than seeking a life of ease. This divine comfort is transformative, allowing us to experience peace even in challenging circumstances. [00:23]
2. The concept of shalom is central to understanding God's vision for creation. It is a state of harmony and mutual delight between God, humanity, and creation, and it begins with Jesus' presence in the desert. [03:54]
3. Jesus' time in the desert with wild animals symbolizes the restoration of creation's intended harmony. It is a foretaste of the kingdom of God, where natural enemies coexist peacefully, reflecting the ultimate reconciliation of all things. [05:18]
4. Angels play a significant role in God's care and protection, as seen in Jesus' desert experience. They remind us of the unseen spiritual realities that support us in our journey, even when we face trials. [07:30]
5. In our own deserts, we are called to dwell in the shelter of the Most High, resting in His shadow. This posture allows us to receive God's comfort and become agents of shalom, bringing His peace to a broken world. [09:54]
** [09:54]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:23] - New Comfort in Discomfort
[00:44] - Jesus in the Desert
[01:23] - Significance of Wild Animals
[02:15] - Dominion and Creation
[03:19] - Diagnosing the World's Problems
[03:54] - Shalom: God's Vision for Creation
[04:29] - Prophetic Imagery of Peace
[05:18] - Jesus as Restorer of Shalom
[06:19] - St. Francis and Creation
[07:30] - Angels and Divine Care
[08:40] - Psalm 91 and Divine Protection
[09:14] - Resting in God's Shadow
[09:54] - Comfort in the Desert
[10:22] - Closing Blessing

Sermon Clips

at the end of a very challenging year god is doing a new thing in jesus christ and what i want to talk about today is that god wants to bring you a new comfort it doesn't mean that he wants to put you into a comfortable situation it may be that he wants to bring comfort to you precisely in the place of discomfort [00:00:14]

sometimes we think man i can't wait till 2020 is over there is no guarantee that just because 2021 has a new number at the end it's going to be different kind of year it's going to be a more comfortable year and we see this in jesus this is looking at the beginning of his ministry when he goes into the desert [00:00:35]

jesus is with the wild animals and he is cared for by the angels now the wild animal thing i had never noticed before but there's actually great significance to it a little phrase wild animals is uh made throughout the bible of course god is the one who created animals and in genesis 2 [00:01:26]

god formed the wild animals from the ground and god brought them to the man to adam in eden and this is before the fall when everything is as god wants it to be and the man names the livestock and the birds of the air and the wild animals the idea of naming is not just that he attaches labels to him [00:01:47]

since the fall things are not the way they're supposed to be and there is this uh rupture between human beings and animals so in the ancient world wild animals are often an image of danger and if you look for example at psalm 22 the psalmist talks about protect me from the wild bull and the lion and the dogs [00:02:39]

but a day is coming the scriptures say a new day when things will be as they ought to be every religion every major worldview carries along with it a diagnosis of what is wrong with the world as we experience it today and in buddhism it's the great problem is desire uh is suffering [00:03:06]

and in the view of christianity and essentially judaism the great problem is that things are not the way they are supposed to be there is a way that the world is supposed to be human relationships the way that we relate to god and to creation and the word for that in the old testament is shalom [00:03:40]

shalom and it means peace but it's way more than just the absence of war or the absence of anxiety neil planicus says it is the rich interweaving together of human beings and creation and god in a spirit of harmony and mutual delight that's the way that things are supposed to be [00:03:56]

jesus realizes in the desert that a part of his mission is to be the restorer of shalom and it begins with him right there in the place where he does not want to be in the place of danger he is with the wild animals shalom that sphere in which all is the way that god wants it to be [00:05:36]

and jesus believed that there were angels agents of god's care and concern all around him and in this story he is with the wild animals and he is under the care the protection the guard of angels now what's going on here is spoken of remarkably in a psalm that's beautiful psalm psalm 91 [00:08:17]

whoever dwells in the shelter of the most high rests in the shadow of the almighty and then he goes on if you say the lord is my refuge you make the most high your dwelling no harm will overtake you for he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways [00:08:41]

so not a day you may be in the desert god may not deliver you when 2021 rolls around into the place of comfort don't ask god primarily to go into a place of comfort receive god's comfort in the uncomfortable place allow god to bring to you thoughts messages conversations with other people hope [00:09:43]

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