Vineyards in the Wilderness
God leads us into the wilderness to bring out what is enduring in us and to restore our relationship with Him.
Charles E. Cowman preaches about God's ability to bring forth blessings and richness even in the midst of wilderness experiences, where the soul feels lost and lonely. Through the story of Hosea, he emphasizes how God can turn bitterness into hope and lead us to sing joyfully in the most unexpected places. Despite our rebellious nature and pursuit of worldly desires, God lovingly allures us into the wilderness to speak words of comfort and restoration.
Text
"I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness...And I will give her her vineyards from thence" (Hosea 2:14-15).
A strange place to find vineyards--in the wilderness! And can it be that the riches which a soul needs can be obtained in the wilderness, which stands for a lonely place, out of which you can seldom find your way? It would seem so, and not only that, but the "Valley of Achor," which means bitterness, is called a door of hope. And she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth!
Yes, God knows our need of the wilderness experience. He knows where and how to bring out that which is enduring. The soul has been idolatrous, rebellious; has forgotten God, and with a perfect self-will has said, "I will follow after my lovers." But she did not overtake them. And, when she was hopeless and forsaken, God said, "I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her." What a loving God is ours! --Crumbs
We never know where God hides His pools. We see a rock, and we cannot guess it is the home of the spring. We see a flinty place, and we cannot tell it is the hiding place of a fountain. God leads me into the hard places, and then I find I have gone into the dwelling place of eternal springs. --Selected
Sermon Outline
- God's Plan for the Wilderness Experience
- A place of loneliness and hardship
- But also a place of hope and restoration
- Where God can bring out what is enduring in us
Key Quotes
“We never know where God hides His pools.” — Charles E. Cowman
“God leads me into the hard places, and then I find I have gone into the dwelling place of eternal springs.” — Charles E. Cowman
Application Points
- We can trust God to lead us into the wilderness experience to bring out what is enduring in us.
- The wilderness experience can be a place of hope and restoration, not just loneliness and hardship.
- We should look for the hidden pools and springs of God's presence in the hard places of life.