As one of those strange coincidences, as I began this
column over two years ago, I was also directed to a field of literature that
dealt with what could be called the Great American Desert. Roughly defined that
would be that portion of the American heartland lying west of the Hundredth
Meridian and east of the summits of the Cascades and the Sierra or the Coast
Ranges of California. That first book was called ÒGoat WalkingÓ, from which a
series of articles on the Ruminant Covenant developed. The latest is ÒBeyond
the Hundredth MeridianÓ by Wallace Stegner, a biography of John Wesley Powell.
The Powell expedition is the first to travel the Colorado River system from
Green River, Wyoming through the Grand Canyon. Powell did much more to lead the
development of this region, but most of his insight was never fully implemented
because it was developed from an understanding of the land and not necessarily
from political expediency. From that book comes the title for this article.
Last week we saw that the Bible is a book written by a
Father to His children. In that context it is also a book about a wilderness
experience we call life, or a pilgrimage through a desert land. While I may
have in a way understood this, it was not until I began StegnerÕs book that I realized
that at the deepest level the true desert of this life is not only a natural
world filled with death, pain, and suffering, but just as true, it is a world
that encompasses a desert of the soul. The physical desert we try to conquer
with technology and wishful thinking. We also try to utilize that same course
of action on the desert of the soul, and we find it has little effect, if we
even try at all. Those who try to cross its vastness, even with the guidebook
of the Bible, most give up and abandon the trek, returning to the comfort and
ease of civilization, culture, and well explained religion.
To understand that predicament, we must begin to
understand the unity of the natural pilgrimage and the spiritual pilgrim. For
whether we are willing to accept it at all, the two are closely and
synergistically related. To put it another way, if we understand our weakness
in the natural desert, we can begin to understand the weakness of our soul.
For example, most of our modern translations use the word
valley, where a more accurate translation would be ÒwadiÓ from the Hebrew or
Arabic, or ÒarroyoÓ of the Spanish. Both are basically valley like areas, which
donÕt have permanent flowing water. Streams only flow after heavy rains. Since
most of us have no knowledge of wadis or arroyos, valleys may serve that
purpose, but they are not
necessarily the reality of the Holy Land of GodÕs children. Also, in the
Bible wilderness and desert are used somewhat interchangeably, but in more
temperate regions they may or may not be naturally the same. However, in the
spiritual sense both are beyond the control of man. We may through our
technology make the desert bloom, but then it is no longer desert, nor is it any
longer wilderness.
Now I have long taught of the psychic disease of the
Pacific Northwest that I call Puget Paradox Disease. It affects virtually
everyone who has lived in the Puget Sound area for over two years. It is a very
harmful psychological and natural ailment. It is the disease of decreased
horizons. When the fall rains begin, you find them refreshing, not because you
understand the end of the summer drought, but that because of the clouds, mist,
and drizzle, your horizons are shortened until it is something you can deal
with, but at the same time you are captured by the spirit of melancholy.
Stegner speaks of a different disease in his book. While
he didnÕt name it as such, he uses it as the contrast to the work that Powell
did in this region for most of his life. I have taken the liberty of naming it
GilpinÕs Disease, in honor of William Gilpin, who at PowellÕs time was the
first territorial governor of Colorado. To summarize Stegner, GilpinÕs Disease
is the disease of delusional reality. It has its roots in manifest destiny and
the American Dream, but it symptoms are really only noticeable beyond the
controlling interests of prosperity and comfort. In contrast with faith, faith
speaks of an unseen reality as if it is. GilpinÕs Disease speaks of a natural
reality as though it isnÕt, denying natural reality as though there were no
limits, not to faith, but unto itself.
Both Puget Paradox Disease and GilpinÕs Disease can have
severe consequences as one tries to journey into the desert of the soul. One
states, ÒI canÕt do that!Ó The other states, ÒI can do anything!Ó Both are a
form of elevation of the human condition to that of God. Both are really sin.
They are broadly accepted today as part and parcel of western culture. In the
one case the affected doesnÕt have enough self esteem, in the other case we
have perfect self esteem. Both leave God out of the picture, because they do
not allow God to show His esteem for us by His refining processes. In the
church these diseases are also prevalent in that we define Biblical imperative
exhortation into the role of gospel and make salvation an act of works. We many
times forget that justification is a free gift of God through Jesus Christ,
justifying the sinner in ChristÕs righteousness, and not our own. This brings
us again to the balanced passage from JimmyÕs Fire last week, James 3:13-4:10.
Now I have just begun to realize the imperative role that
the natural desert or wilderness can play, perhaps must play, as an integral in
our overcoming the soulÕs desert. Could it be we are too dull, to understand
the expanse of our own soulÕs wilderness, if we canÕt at least briefly live in
a natural environment, where we are not in control. We are afraid to live in a
place where either Puget Paradox or GilpinÕs can be fatal. As I have said at
other times, in a survival experience, those who survive, regardless of any
background or other factors, share one thing in common. That is that they
prayed. Which of course begs the question how about those who didnÕt? But more
importantly, it is also the prerequisite for overcoming the passage through the
soulÕs desert, should one accept the challenge to begin the journey. This is
truly mission impossible.
Today we have what is called Òextreme sportÓ which is
where the rich, spoiled, and vain, court death or injury for the thrill of it.
As they travel around the world to experience the next thrill, they sing the
song ÒYour so vain, you probably think this song is about you!Ó In the book of
Ecclesiastes, that topic is adequately discussed, so an adopted son or daughter
should have a response beyond, ÒSo,Ó or ÒDuh!Ó One thing I learned in that
first book on Goat Walking, is that anyone can survive in that Great American
Desert with just a milk goat and enough knowledge to not do anything stupid.
Actually, the goat does quite well and if we just follow along, she will save
us too.
That same wisdom is found in Proverbs 27:23-27:
Be diligent to know the state of your flocks,
And attend to your herds;
For riches are not forever,
Nor does a crown endure to all generations.
When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows
itself,
And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,
The lambs will provide your clothing,
And the goats the price of a field;
You shall have enough goats' milk for your food,
For the food of your household,
And the nourishment of your maidservants.
If there is Òextreme sportÓ as a form of self-serving
vanity, could there be an Òextreme lifeÓ for the children of God. One not
entered into by their own righteousness, but by the blood of the lamb of God,
Jesus Christ? Of course there is! It is entered into by faith in redemption
found in Christ alone, and accessed by a life of works of obedient faith, as
James last week clearly renders. When we enter the desert of our soul, or the
fallen wilderness of our own flesh, we quickly many times retreat to the
comfort of familiar worldly surroundings and in the process forfeit the wisdom
that God imparts to those who walk in His ways. We continually struggle to find
a lasting peace in materialistic pursuits of happiness, which means, I suppose,
that we are not as smart as an old goat.
But the Bible says in wisdom of the natural and in the
desert soul: There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who
has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from
His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall
according to the same example of disobedience. Hebrews 4:9-11
The goal or the calling of what we are trying to do with
our purchase of the Little Dalles facility is to integrate some simple life
experiences of the natural desert
or wilderness and our internal desert. In that way we may learn to lead
the life that the children of God are called to pursue. As far as I am aware
there is no other ministry or operation that specifically seeks to train others
to journey beyond the limitation of their own desert soul and find the rest
that accompanies the oasis of GodÕs eternal love.
Just as our lives will in this world always relate to
that desert journey experience, it is from that experience we minister and are
ministered too. In that respect that stress, that tension, of imperfection and
lack accompanies our word, actions, and message. We therefore should try to not
only receive from that desert well, but after drinking and replenishing our
livestock, refill the container with water, needed to prime the pump, for those
who may follow in our footsteps. Once you have tasted the living water from
that well you can never turn back from the journey across the desert of your soul. The only problem with the
church today is that so few have ventured that far into the wilderness of GodÕs
word and GodÕs true provision, to chronicle the message of this Good News. Some
suffering from Puget Paradox or Gilpin's, empty the jar thinking that it is all
the water and venture back in the desert to die of thirst. It is time also for
some to stop at these few oasis to make the desert bloom for the weary
traveler, may God make that all our desire.
Well, as I knew it would that time of incredibly
exhausting work ended about noon last Wednesday. After a day of getting caught
up on some aspects of normal life, I contacted our two established affiliate
churches in Canada. A number of years ago, I did resource and mining financial
developmental work in Canada. Rossland is really one of the original mining
centers for the part of Canada close to the states. Vancouver and Calgary are
the two sources of that type of finance in Western Canada. It would be neat if
we could establish a business presence in Rossland that could provide facility
support to the church plant and we could do operational and related testing at
the Little Dalles. That would pay for both facilities and would provide
investment opportunities consistent with Haggai 2:6-9, for GodÕs family. Things
however seem to be coming down to the last minute and without some access to
capital we may lose the property. Please intercede for continued financial
improvement and the means to obtain the funds to purchase the property, start a church, and related ministry,
as well as the personnel and other resources required to demonstrate GodÕs
glory and not our own.