Rest in the Wilderness

August 6, 2009

Hosea 2:14-15 Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will sing as in the days of her youth...

Awakened from sleep to go chasing a dream

Running past trees, splashing through streams

When dark fills the sky and the rain starts to pour

I won’t give up, push deeper into the storm

The wind tearing at my hair and my skin

Resisting each footstep, and I’m wearing thin

I remember the dream still within my heart

So I won’t give up, though I’m falling apart

I come to a mountain, beginning to climb

Focus on going higher, no concept of time

My fingers are bleeding, my arms tired and aching

My hope’s disappearing, my confidence shaken

“Maybe on the other side is a place I can rest”

I say as I finally reach the crest

I look down below me, and no sign of life

The skies have cleared up, but my dream’s out of sight

I sit on the cliff as the tears fill my eyes

I feel pain fill my heart as I hear all the lies

I take a deep breath and I unclench my fists

A song breaks the sky, making my focus shift

“I was with you in the beauty

I was with you in the rain

I am with you on the mountain

I’ll be with you in the pain”

I follow the voice down, to the desert below

It recalls my dream and whispers “let it go”

I fall on my knees and I let out a cry

I want to understand, I want to know why

The sun beats down hotter, the lies grow intense

Dehydrating quickly, nothing here makes sense

I want to get past this, I want to forget

The voice speaks again “you’re not finished here yet”

And this time there’s a hand, just within my reach

Maybe I’m just crazy…but it’s held out to me

I reach out to take it, and find myself held

I find my fears quieted, darkness dispelled

His touch is like water and I lay my head on His chest

And in the rhythm of His heartbeat I start to find rest

He sings songs of hope, and I breathe it in deep

And in the midst of the wilderness, I fall back to sleep