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“The wilderness can be a hard and harsh place, but paradoxically, it is also the place where the sweetness of God can be intimately known and experienced. During hard and harsh things, the beauty of the wilderness is how sweet God really is.”

(quote from Zane Goggans, Lead Pastor Sweetwater Christian Church)

During the season of Lent, my pastor has been preaching about being in the wilderness. Oh, how I can relate to being in the wilderness. Becoming a widow feels very much like being thrust out into the wilderness, stumbling around feeling so lost. I had no idea which direction to turn, where I was going, or how I was going to get there. Feelings of isolation, loneliness, and hopelessness were my frequent companions. Not unlike what the Israelites must have felt in the wilderness also.

God is with us in the Wilderness

There is much that we can learn about God’s character when we read about the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness. First and foremost we are reminded that we are never alone in the wilderness. God is with us and He makes His presence known. For the Israelites, He did this by being a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. It is in His character to never leave us or forsake us.

It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Deuteronomy 31:8 (ESV)

Watch for Him, He is with you in this wilderness.

God hears our complaints

Throughout the story of the Israelites journey through the wilderness, they complained. They were tired, hungry and thirsty. At one point they were so discouraged they complained that they would rather have died.

And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
Exodus 16:2-3 (ESV)

As a widow, I can relate. I have grumbled many times on this journey. It’s H…A…R…D! They were many days all I could think about was how I wished I had died with my husband. There is one night I remember the pain was so excruciating that I ran around in circles in my house for hours – like a wounded animal overcome with the worst pain imaginable. When sanity came back I repeated my mantra, God, I want every blessing possible from this time. God heard the grumbling. He heard the gut-wrenching sobs. And He heard the desperate pleas for every possible blessing.

God loves us even if we complain

Somewhere in my spiritual journey I remember being taught it is wrong to complain – that it is contradictory to believe God is good -and therefore a sin. If you have been taught something similar, I invite you to read through Exodus 16. The Israelites complained time and time again. And what happened? Did God leave them? No. Did God punish them? No. He provided for them. And not just the bare minimum to get them to stop complaining. He provided abundantly in a sweet way. Now you might be thinking of some verses that tell us not to complain such as Philippians 2:14-15 (ESV):

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

Without blemish -it is holy to not complain. Better for us and better for those around us. But as we often say “we are works in progress”. Just like all of the people listed throughout the scriptures. Even David who was recognized as having a heart for God poured out numerous complaints throughout the Psalms. God blessed them and He still blesses us. He loves us even when we complain.

God is sweet in His provision and attentiveness

At first, the Israelites were in the Wilderness of Shur, they needed water to drink, and they found some bad water… they called it bitter, and then God made it drinkable for them. But more than that, the text says that God made the water sweet to the taste.

And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” And he cried to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.
Exodus 15:24-25 (ESV)

And when they complained about being hungry He provided meat. Not just any meat though, He provided the sweet meat of quail each night.

I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.’”

In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp.
Exodus 16:12-13 (ESV)

And He also provided bread. Not just any bread but sweet bread for each day.

Now the house of Israel called its name manna. It was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.
Exodus 16:31 (ESV)

God Loves Us

Sweet water, the sweet meat of quail, and sweet bread that tasted like wafers made of honey. This is what He provided even though they were complaining! God is good and because He loves us, He provides more than we could have hoped for or imagined. He never leaves us or forsakes us. He is always with us! As a widow, after being through the worst wilderness I have ever experienced, I can testify to this truth!

Thank You, Lord, for Your love, Your goodness, and Your faithfulness! Amen.

Sections of this article have been used by permission from Zane Goggan’s sermon “Lent: The Sweetness of God.”