[Life of David] Unlikely Trial, Teacher, TimingSample

Hope in God, Not in this World

The wilderness removes hope for this world and renews hope in God. Don’t pursue the things of the world or your sinful desires; set your hope in the Lord.

This weekend I thought about what it took to get our patio furniture. Here’s how the story began: “I just want a glass of tea on the back porch with some friends.” 

Rollback version: First, I’ve got to find a realtor and look for a house. I get outbid a few times. I gather documents for the bank, get a loan, negotiate the price, get appraisals and surveys. I have to take the biggest check I’ve ever seen to closing and sign 1,000 papers. The renovations don’t go well. I’m ready to sue because they didn’t finish the job. That’s too much trouble, I’ll finish them myself. I have no clue what I’m doing. I go to Home Depot ten times. I walk out and tell myself, “I’m good at other things.” 

We move in, sweat all day, work all week, unpack and put pictures on the wall. There’s a patio! We visit 15 stores and buy patio furniture we don’t really like, because what we like is way too expensive. It is delivered. One chair is on back-order. We find a chair to finish the set. Now I must work three hours to get the yard to look good, or pay somebody to do that, before we host the party. 

It’s Saturday, and our friends come over. We get the tea; it’s ice-cold. We’re excited. But man, it’s hot out here. I didn’t think it’d be this hot. I don’t want bug spray, because then I feel so sticky the whole night. But these mosquitoes! Let’s go inside.

All that is a joke, of course. That’s living the good life. I’m blessed. I’m not running down the tarmac trying to get on a plane to flee the Taliban. I’m not digging my family out of rubble in Haiti. Trials will come and we must pursue God. Whether the trials are ones we can giggle about, or ones that absolutely rip our souls apart, we must pursue God. 

Psalm 142 was a psalm that David wrote when he was in a cave being chased by Saul. He was pursuing God in the heartache of grief, in the heartache of running. Let the wilderness teach you to put your hope in God.