In one of the less famous Old Testament narratives, three kings learn some important lessons about God in the desert.
We need to learn the same truths.
The account is found in 2 Kings 3.
The Desert Experience
The king of Moab decided to stop paying his taxes to the king of Israel. Jehoram, king of Israel, enlisted the help of King Jehoshaphat of Judah and the king of Edom, another close ally. The three kings embarked on a “collections” mission against King Mesha of Moab.
The Bible says they took a “circuitous march” for seven days—a polite way of saying they got lost in the desert.
Eventually, they found themselves in a place where there was no water for them or their animals.
Jehoram immediately saw this as God’s plan to give them over to King Mesha. He was quite worried.
Jehoshaphat, who was faithful to Yahweh, had a different response. He sought out a prophet of Yahweh, who happened to be Elisha.
Elisha assured them that Yahweh had a plan. God would act in a miraculous way to fill the dry valley with water. They would not see it coming. It would happen suddenly.
Elisha added that this would be “a light thing” for Yahweh.
Easy. A piece of cake. No problem.
The kings and their entourage went to sleep in a dry valley.
They woke up in a dry valley.
No clouds. No rain. No overflowing river.
But at the time of the morning sacrifice, water began to flow. The whole valley filled with water. Yahweh acted suddenly and decisively to supply what they needed.
And, as He had promised, He gave the kings victory over Mesha as well.
When You Find Yourself in a Desert
So what does this have to do with me? And you?
We all find ourselves in some kind of desert from time to time.
It may be a spiritual desert where we miss close communion with God. Perhaps it is an emotional desert where we lack motivation and feel helpless. Sometimes it is a life-situation desert. Our finances, health, or relationships may wear us down to the point of exhaustion.
I am sure you can think of a few deserts you have visited in your lifetime.
And it seems that no matter how hard you try, you cannot find water in your desert. You try to “do your best,” but the harder you try, the drier your desert gets.
But I have some hopeful news for you.
God sees. He knows. He is in control. You can trust Him.
God is not obligated to fulfill YOUR plan, but He absolutely will bring His plan to pass.
And His plan is good.
Take courage from God’s Word:
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
—Romans 8:28
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”
—Romans 8:31–32
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
—Philippians 1:6
“…for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
—Philippians 2:13
What to Do While You Wait
So what do we do in the desert while we wait for God to act?
Here are three things.
1. Stay in God’s Word.
Jehoshaphat had the good sense to inquire of a prophet of Yahweh. We exercise spiritual wisdom when we turn to God’s Word daily.
The desert is not the time to drift away from Scripture. It is the time to listen carefully to what God has already said.
Our circumstances may confuse us. God’s Word anchors us.
2. Be faithful in your current situation.
Waiting seasons are full of distractions. Daydreaming, diversion, and disconnecting may seem like pleasurable coping mechanisms. But God has us where He wants us in this particular season.
Be faithful in the daily tasks. Like the faithful servants in Matthew 25, be faithful with what is in front of you.
You may not be able to change your situation today, but you can honor God in it today.
3. Commit your desert to the Lord.
Pray about your desert. Ask God to intervene and to act in ways that bring HIM glory.
Psalm 37:4 tells us:
“Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
As we delight in Him, He shapes our desires around His. We learn to want what He wants and to trust Him with the outcome.
The Valley May Still Look Dry
That may be the hardest part of the story in 2 Kings 3.
The kings went to bed in a dry valley, and when they woke up, it was still dry.
Nothing they could see had changed.
Then God acted.
Maybe your valley still looks dry today. You do not see the clouds. You do not hear the rain. You cannot see where the water will come from.
Stay in His Word. Be faithful where you are. Commit your desert to Him.
The God who sees what you cannot see is still at work.