“The congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness…” (Exodus 16)
- Do you ever feel like you don’t know what tomorrow will bring?
- Are you in a time of transition and it isn’t clear what direction you’re heading?
- Is the future unclear or perhaps a bit daunting and frightening?
In our house we call those in-between times of life “the land of ‘we’ll see’.” We end a lot of conversations with “we’ll see” because we simply don’t know what is going to happen next or how it will all turn out.
- My parents are moving into assisted living. Will they be happy? Will they enjoy their new circumstances? We’ll see…
- Two of our children are graduating from college this year. What will they do next? Will they find jobs? How will they live on their own? We’ll see…
- Winter is coming – what will it be like? Will we experience as much cold and snow as last year? We can’t know that yet. So – we’ll see…
What transitions are you experiencing? Maybe you are caring for a loved one who is sick. Maybe you are changing jobs. Life brings us a variety of changing circumstances. Children grow up, jobs change, friendships shift, parents grow older, illnesses come and go, our own abilities alter – nothing stays the same. Any of these events can bring us into the land of “we’ll see.”
It is not an entirely comfortable place to be. It is never easy to have more questions than answers. It is human nature to want to plan and count on something. We like to know what we’re dealing with and how things will turn out. The hard truth is that certainty is simply not always available.
The land of “we’ll see” is like the wilderness described in Exodus. The people of Israel escaped their captivity by crossing through the Red Sea. Suddenly they found themselves facing a daunting wasteland with no clear direction and no end in sight. They were entering into the land of “we’ll see” as they searched for a new identity and got accustomed to their new reality. The way forward was not clear.
Here’s the Good News – God is in the wilderness with us. God lives in the land of “we’ll see.” God reassures us that we are not alone in those troubled, turbulent times of our lives. Day by day and moment by moment, God journeys with us, surrounding us with the strength, compassion and courage we need.
We may not have a lot of answers. But we are assured of God’s love and presence.
Blessings on your journey.
fosteringyourfaith 
Hello Dear, still in the Wilderness but.. I have chosen to talk to my body and convince it that it is strong, healthy and capable of getting through, yet another gully. The word gets me through each and every day, with love and grace. I strongly believe that the Lord is my compass. I love fosteringyourfaith, you are an angel, your love and compassion support guidance, that we sheep desperately need. I thank you. I will be dropping off the boxes this week, If I feel better I will attend worship. We have a death in the family and I am working on this right now. God Bless you and your family.Peace,Robin
LikeLike
thank you for your kind words. I love the image of God as a compass. Hope to see you in worship soon. Peace and healing to you.
LikeLike
Oh Sue, every time I asked my Mother for a favor as I grew up I received “I’ll see” as an answer and I would interpret that as “of course”, which naturally quite often set me up for a very large let down. As a child I hated the uncertainty of that answer and I’m not sure I like it any better now, but I find that it is easier to deal with when it involves more than just me alone. Facing the same questions as those whom I love and trust and share a common faith with makes uncertainty easier to accept.
Catherine.
LikeLike
Hi Catherine, You are so right! I remember both giving and receiving a “we’ll see” answer. When I said that to my children, I often hoped that they would forget to follow up and ask again (they rarely did). And I agree with you – it’s so much easier to face uncertainty when others are on the journey with us.
LikeLike