Hope in the Desert

A couple weeks ago while taking a Good Friday hike with my kids, I found myself walking along the dry barren terrain reflecting on how much it must of resembled the rugged road that Christ walked while carrying his cross.  While I have struggled with the dry, parched earth on my hikes since living in Phoenix, I couldn't help but reflect on this particular day and how I had arrived at peace with the desert.  The desert makes you thirst, the desert makes you long for growth and surprisingly the desert offers a most spectacular backdrop for sunrises and sunsets, the opening and closing of a day.

On this day there was reflection, joy, sadness and joy again as our hearts sang out to Christ in worship and conversation. We reflected on the heartache that Christ suffered on this day and the price that was paid for our sin.  My son found two sticks in the form of a cross laying on the ground, my daughter picked up the rocks and made mention of Christ's being stoned for us.  As we sat on two large rocks and dug into the dry land, the desert was coming alive because the Holy Spirit was there. 

At the close of the hike, as my children ran ahead of me, there was a great excitement from my son as he yelled, "Mom, come over here. You will never believe what I found."  I honestly remember thinking that he had come across a snake skin or perhaps a dead animal of sorts.

I gazed from a distance at what seems to be a vivid color resting on the ground.  As I drew closer, it was quite clear it was something special. Tears filled my eyes as I looked upon this lovely flower situated in a most unique location.  My daughter squealed with delight, "mom, it's your favorite color!"   This flower was the only one we found that day and represented hope.   

Hope that growth takes place in the desert amongst the prickly cactus, rocks and dry earth and hope that God knows what his children delight in and provides that in the most creative ways.