Dan Houze, December 12, 2004

A GOD-DOMINATED HEART

Becoming God-Holy in the Wilderness

I Samuel 24

The wilderness was both a refuge and a training ground for David. Amazingly, it was the same for Jesus!

The wilderness in which David was living was both craggy and barren, and a source of protection (caves) and sustenance (water supply).

Sometimes we find ourselves in a wilderness too, even if it is a wilderness of circumstances. Whether physical or circumstantial, one of the definitions of wilderness is that it is out of our control.

The highway department has developed a concept called "super cruise control", in which the highway controls your car except when you get on our get off via exit ramp. They claim the most difficult problem they face to make this successful is not technological, but human. People have a lot of trouble trusting such a system to completely control their car! We have the same problem with a circumstantial wilderness – we don't like life to be out of our control.

But in super cruise control, our life becomes simplified and deepened.

1. In the wilderness we become GOD-SENSITIVE.

For example, isn't marriage about finding someone who will meet our needs for the rest of our life?

And isn't my career about being successful, making a name for myself, and getting ahead?

No, for the believer, our needs are met in the person of Christ. These other things can't do meet our needs for the long term. And living that way does not bring glory to God.

2. In the wilderness we become more VALUE-SENSITIVE.

When we become God-sensitive, our values becomes more like God's, and we see marriage as an opportunity to serve our mate, and our career as an opportunity to serve our employer and fellow employees. Our goal becomes one of allowing God to have His way with us, just as David let Saul live in the cave so that God could deal with Saul instead of David. This is opposite of the world, where the values focus on looking out for ourselves. As we take on God's values, we become more holy.

3. In the wilderness we either GROW-UP or REGRESS.

We will all have wilderness days. Decide now to submit to God's leading in those times and grow up, rather than finding solutions in our own strength and regressing.