February 15th, 2008

"Often, we ask God why we are compelled into the wilderness. We grumble and complain in our lament, and try to hurry our way into the Promised Land by forcing our own way, or else we seek to return to Egypt to meet our needs in our time and through our own methods. The journey of all Christ's followers is a journey through the wilderness toward the Cross. We cannot escape it, nor can we go around it. And yet, the wilderness, the Cross, and the ultimate resurrection of Jesus all demonstrate that no matter the wilderness we find ourselves in, God will bring us through to life on the other side. We will not be removed from the suffering of the wilderness, but with God's help we can be transformed by it."
- Margaret Manning (www.rzim.org), "Compelled Into the Wilderness"