Wanderings in the Wilderness: The Journey Back to Eden

By Jay Andrews

Life is frustratingly unfair. Jobs are lost, the body grows ill, good people turn out to be evil, friends fail, enemies win, ideals disappoint, and faith grows weak. It is so discouraging to see people who never have a difficulty and never suffer. Always on the mountaintop, they leave many feeling inadequate wondering, "What's wrong with me?" The storms of life threaten to overwhelm us with a hurricane's relentless fury.
If you have ever lost your zeal to serve, ever felt so tired you wanted to quit, ever doubted why you should keep trying, then you know the paralyzing aftermath of life's storms that conceal the joy for which God created you. You know the humdrum existence to which this world has succumbed. It seems like you are just drifting along in an unfamiliar wilderness. Wandering is tolerable; it requires minimal effort and its relatively comfortable. You offend no one and you keep your distance. You are lost but you are moving, so why add anything more to your plate? Busy and preoccupied, you go through the motions day after day after exhausting day.
Jesus changes all that. He is faithful, walking where you have walked. He cries your tears. He understands your regret. He smiles at every effort and heals your wounds, rebuking the raging storms of life. He has called to you as you hid in the bushes, ashamed of your nakedness. He searches for you when you were lost, alone, and shivering in the dark. He rescues you from those in the world who would devour you. He can restore your zeal and your desire to serve.
In these accounts, you will experience the joy, the fear, the delight, and especially the wonder of walking with Jesus on your journey back to Paradise.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Oct 5, 2011
• ISBN: 9781449726768

Jay Andrews

Jay Andrews, pastor of Snowdoun UMC is passionate about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, his wife Jennifer, their six children and six grandchildren. He loves mission work at home, regionally, and abroad leading, serving, and supporting teams in Montgomery, Nashville, New Orleans, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Haiti, Dominica, Eleuthera, Zambia, and Brazil. He seeks to develop disciples through interaction with Scripture.

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Contents

The Wilderness

Trouble in Eden

Crossing the Sea

Going Forward Means Going Overboard

Dad Can Fix Anything

The Disciples Follow

Battle Readiness

My Father’s House

Unwilling Servant

To Seek and Save

Opportunities Wasted and Waiting

The Joy of the Lord Is My Strength

It’s Time to Go

Epilogue

Study Guide Instructions

Reading Schedule: The Journey Back to Paradise

Trouble in Eden Discussion Starter

Crossing the Sea Discussion Starter

Going Forward Means Going Overboard Discussion Starter

Dad Can Fix Anything Discussion Starter

The Disciples Follow Discussion Starter

Battle Readiness

Discussion Starter

My Father’s House Discussion Starter

Unwilling Servant Discussion Starter

To Seek and Save Discussion Starter

Opportunities Wasted and Waited Discussion Starter

The Joy of the Lord Is My Strength Discussion Starter

It’s Time to Go Discussion Starter

For Perry: Rabbi, I would gladly cast a net with you anytime.

For Mary: Teacher, you gave so much. In your class, I was privileged to sit at the feet of Jesus.

For Walter: There are no words to express my gratitude and admiration for you and Dean. You embody the inspiration and encouragement that comes only from our Father.

For JP, Guy, and Donnie: Instruments in the Master’s hand, thank you for my vision. No one ever loved us more. Spiritual growth has never been so much fun!

For our family at Snowdoun UMC: Friends beyond compare, rays of light in an often-dark world.

Thank you for your purchase. Proceeds from this book, Wanderings in the Wilderness, help to fund Snowdoun United Methodist Church’s mission efforts in Montgomery, Alabama, Southeast Asia, and Zambia. We support Habitat for Humanity in Montgomery, training evangelists in Southeast Asia, and building wells in Zambia. Thank you for joining us in this, God’s work here, and to the ends of the earth.

None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: ‘No eye has seen, no ear heard, no mind conceived what God has prepared for those who love him’ but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10

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The Wilderness

I don’t know about your life, but mine is often full of storm clouds. Jobs are lost, the body grows ill, good people turn out to be evil, friends fail, enemies win, and faith grows weak. Life is simply unfair.

I don’t like the way it turns out, and often I wish I could undo some of the things I did not intend to do. I feel discouraged to the point of despair. I look around in frustration as I see people who never have a difficulty. They never seem to suffer; they are always on the mountaintop and never out of control. For them, it seems, there is no such thing as a bad hair day or a bad mood. When I see folks like them, I wonder what is wrong with me; and I feel terribly inadequate. I am tired and I want to quit. What’s the use in going through all the motions of serving others, I think, sometimes out loud.

If you, too, have ever lost your desire to serve; if you have ever felt so tired you weren’t sure you could go on; if you have ever wondered why you should keep trying; then you know what wandering in the wilderness is all about. As we ramble in the desert, we forget all about our destination; and we miss the glory of the journey to the Promised Land.

Yet God intended us for an abundant life (John 10:10), not the humdrum existence to which this world has succumbed. God created us for a life filled with joy, but sometimes we cannot see the joy through the storms.

We have grown accustomed to wandering.

It’s comfortable. It’s not great, but it is tolerable.

We offend no one; we keep our distance; we are lost, but we are making great time.

Our minds, like our lives, are too busy and preoccupied to comprehend the tiny detail of destination. Just keep moving, we think, going through the motions day after day after exhausting day.

Occasionally, we hunger and thirst for home; but because we don’t know how to get there, the desire vanishes in the next storm that life blows our way.

Jesus changes all that.

Troubles are a part of life in this world. Not once did He promise a life free from trials and difficulties. In fact, He said things would get worse (John 16:33). Nevertheless, you know Jesus is faithful. He has walked where I walk, has felt my tears, and understands my regret.

He smiles at my efforts and heals my wounds. He has never left me, and He quiets the raging seas of life’s obstacles more often than I can count. He calls out to me as I hide in the bushes ashamed of my nakedness; searches for me when I am lost, alone, and shivering in the dark; and rescues me from those in the world who would devour me. He restores my zeal and my desire to serve. He will for you too.

Here you will find familiar narratives of God’s people retold as I envision them. These events may not have taken place as I retell them, but I have tried to remain faithful to the teaching of Scripture. I am seeking to place us in the midst of events as they could have been, based on prayer, study of the Word, and the historical archeology of region. Knowing about these particular settings, the customs of the characters and the historical background in which they lived, thrusts me into the plot. Walking with God’s people, even vicariously, brings me hope and encouragement as I journey in this world. I want to share a little of my hope with you. If these stories prick the heart or touch the soul, then all praise belongs to Jesus for the insight, vision, and inspiration.

I don’t think it’s an accident that God walked with Adam in the cool of the day. It’s no coincidence that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Noah, and Enoch walked with God (Gen. 5:24, 48:15). It’s not surprising that we are instructed to walk in His ways (Dt. 30:16), or that God promises to walk among us and be our God (Le 26:12). It’s historically accurate to say that Jesus walked with His disciples (Mt. 2:23, Luke 24:15) so it makes sense that our journey is called a Christian walk. In these accounts, I hope you feel the joy, the fear, the delight, and especially the wonder of walking with Jesus.

May the Lord allow you to see Jesus as you have never seen Him before.

Maybe we will be able to share a part of the journey through the wilderness and into the Promised Land. I’ll see you soon on the road to Eden.

Shalom, y’all!

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Trouble in Eden

Genesis 3

Morning dawned in an awesome display of color and it was cool in the garden. Dew dripping from the trees broke dawn’s silence. Rabbits, squirrels, deer—yes, all the animals began to stir. The fragrance of flowers filled the air; birds sang their happy melodies. They called for Adam. Adam had named them (Gen. 2:19-20); he was the one they admired. The Creator walked and talked to him, and Adam walked and talked to them. They were excited to see him every morning. Playful and full of life, they waited anticipating his arrival. When God made Adam, He said, Creation was very good, (Gen. 1:31) and the creatures of the earth loved him.

Eve rose first and gathered fruit for breakfast. Rabbits and squirrels, lions and bears, cats and dogs, sheep and little lambs, and eagles and hawks quivered with excitement. Each waited as Eve spoke tenderly, calling them by name. All the animals loved Eve just as Adam loved her—just as the Creator loved them all.

There was something special about this couple. There were no more like them, and they had a special place in the eyes of the Lord. It would not be long until Adam met Eve in the meadow, and the family of God would share the morning meal.

As the sun rose in the sky and the shadows of night gave way to the shadows of the day, another creature lurked in the darkness, a beast crafty and vile—the most deceitful and devious the world would ever know. Heaven’s arrangement displeased his twisted mind.

The beast complained,