There’s an interesting observation I’ve made about the names of certain locations in the Bible. For instance, very rarely is Egypt referred to as Egypt; it’s always called Pharaoh’s land. You might assume that the lush part of Israel known as Galilee would be called God’s land, but it’s not, it’s simply called Israel’s land. Fascinatingly, the place that is called God’s land is the desert. There’s something significant about that mysterious and arid locale because it’s so dry and barren that humans can hardly survive there. Left to our own devices in that region, we would die. In the Scriptures, the desert is the place where the Israelites wandered for 40 years, where the law was given to Moses, and where Jesus was led when He was tempted by Satan. In each of these instances, the presence and power of the Lord were completely crucial to a successful outcome.

The desert is God’s land, my friend, because He knows that such seasons of your life are essential to your survival. Only when you have come to the end of yourself can you learn what it means to fully rely on Him and to partake of His streams of abundance, even when they are not immediately visible. Though the heat is exhausting and you may feel as though you will collapse under its intensity, the one from Whom flows rivers of living water is with you, ready to refresh your spirit and nourish your soul. As you lean into His goodness in your most barren moments, His fountains of mercy will spring up from beneath the dry and rocky ground and you will be restored!