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David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill-country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God didn't deliver him into his hand. 1 Samuel 23:14 WEB

Once upon a time after a month long fast, we bought a wood smoker. You could call it a rebound effect. A wood smoker works like an outdoor slow cooker and often takes all day. One of the first things that we made was smoked beef brisket, which I had never bought before.

During the process, I learned that the brisket is one of the toughest pieces of meat that exists. While trimming it, I could not find a knife in our house that cut it properly. After going through several, I ended up having to sharpen one especially for the task. We wrestled with it all over the counter as we tried to hold it down and trim off the excess fat. Just trying to insert a meat thermometer into it would push it around the counter top like a rock. There were a couple of times when it tried to shoot off the counter top like a flushed quail.

After trimming, we coated the brisket with a 50/50 salt pepper rub that evening, and then put it in the refrigerator over night. The next day we placed it in the smoker at 275f directly on the rack for 6 hours. Then we removed it, wrapped it tightly in butcher paper, and put it back in at 225f over night. When we removed the brisket the following day, it was so tender that you could pull it apart with your fingers and you no longer needed a knife at all. The toughest cut of meat had now become the most tender, but it took time, heat, and patience, lots of it.

David was called, David was anointed, but he needed something else: Preparation. David had to run and hide from Saul for years, even though he had already been anointed as king by Samuel. The Spirit of God had already left Saul and was with David instead (1 Samuel 18:12), but yet David went through many battles and struggles before he came out of the wilderness and became king.

Moses spent forty years in the wilderness as a simple shepherd, preparing to care for God's sheep (Acts 7:30). Moses had been a strong fiery young man, but God chose to use him after he turned eighty years of age. After thoroughly preparing him in isolation, Moses came out of the wilderness in power.

John the baptist was hidden away in the wilderness until the time came for him to give his message: (Luke 3:2-3) 'during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. He came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for remission of sins.'

Jesus was the perfect Man, sinless, blameless, and without fault. Yet He spent forty days in the wilderness before He began His ministry. It was a time of testing (Mark 1:13). Then Jesus came out of the wilderness walking in the power of God.

The trials that you face prepare and equip you for what God has in store for you. Many like me have been hardened by life, but God would rather us be tender and loving. If you are ever going to do something meaningful, then you will have to spend some time in the wilderness. When you come out, you will be experienced, you will see things differently, and you will have a testimony to share with others. God has a patient way of softening even the toughest of us.

Prayer: Heavenly Father I look to You in faith today. I know that the plans that You have for me are good. I don't understand some of the things that I am going through, but I choose to trust in You because You love me and You know best. Please guide my steps today, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen!

Note: "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (2 Chron 7:14) ~ If you have a prayer need, we are here for you! We and the prayer team are ready to lift you up at our private prayer page: RHM Prayer Network

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