"New Beginnings Even In The Desert Places"

My dad gave me a 2002 silver dollar for Christmas. If I were to take the coin at face value, what is it worth? Most of us have not considered what our experiences in life is worth.  Have you ever questioned your dry wilderness season of life? In Genesis 21, there is a scene of Sarah weaning her son Isaac at the age of 92. Hagar makes fun of her and makes Sarah angry. She quickly tells Abraham to send Hagar away from their home. Abraham in disappointment sends Ishmael and her away with water and bread. God promises that He will take care of them and make of Ishmael a great nation.

As they journey in the desert of Beersheba, somehow they lose track to the next well some twelve miles away in Gerar. In the wilderness, Hagar begins to cry, she places Ishmael under some shade, as she and her son are in a desperate place. God hears the crying of Ishmael and comes to their aide. It’s there in the desert that God provides a well of water.

Regardless of your desert experience in life, God will never leave you nor forsake you. Many of us have been tempted to believe that our desert walk is unnecessary, it’s needless; it’s pointless, or useless. It’s always in the desert that God is preparing us for our future.

It was in the desert, right after Jesus baptism that he was led up into the wilderness to be tempted. It’s there that our motives get purified, our backbone solidifies, and the calling is clarified. Have you said, “God you’re not moving fast enough in my painful experience, you need to get on your game, you haven’t done what you said you would do?” I encourage you today to take value in the dry places. If you really want depth to your smile, your song, to your perspective in life, get ready for some rocky places in life.

Don’t die in your desert place, God isn’t finished, God knows right where you are, God provided a well of water in Hagar’s desert and she and Ishmael lived. God hasn’t brought you this far to leave you now. If you’ve lost sight of your vision, your dream, the promises of God for your life, don’t lose hope, water is near. He will sustain you until you see all the promises of God come to pass.

Declare today, even in my desert experiences, I’m going to smile, I’m going to sing, I’m going to shine, I’m going to see the good the gold and the glory out of these experiences. I have a bright future with the plans of the Lord on my life. By the way my silver dollar is worth more than one dollar. The market says it's worth 62.00 dollars. Have you stopped to consider your desert experience is worth far more than what you may have valued it? God makes no mistakes, and declares , "Better is the end of a thing than the beginning." Eccl 7:8

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