Waiting in the Wildernes

When the disciples came down from the Mt. of Transfiguration, they entered not a wilderness, but a valley.  To some it might seem that the opposite of a mountain top spiritual experience would be life down in the valley.  And, there is no reason to suggest otherwise.  When the disciples came away from that powerful moment when the sacred broke into the profane, they did go back down to living in the ordinary again.  And while they might have figured they would be forever different, it is likely that the mountain top memories soon faded and became obscure with their ordinary life.  

 

The disciples came down the mountain into the valley.  It was not a wilderness as was the case with Jesus immediately after His baptism.  In other words, the disciples went back to whatever was ordinary for them as a follower of Jesus.  It is as we live in those moments that are ordinary for us a follower of Jesus that we find ourselves struggling to live faithfully in the wilderness.  There is nothing ordinary about the wilderness.  Geographically, it is dry, empty of life, and those who stay there too long are likely to die.  The same can be said about the wilderness of the soul.  Our inner being is dry, empty, and God seems to be an absent deity who has forgotten us. 

Even though our spiritual life is in jeopardy, we are still slow to encounter the reality of the wilderness for it means being so very alone.  Not even God seems to be present.  For those of us who are always surrounded by others, it is a frightening place to walk for no one else is able to help us do the spiritual business required by our longing soul.  We long for God.  God alone.  And He does not always hurry to us, but remains quiet, silent, absent, waiting on us to wait on Him.