Recently, while flying home from Saudi Arabia, just as Lent was beginning, I looked out the plane window as we passed over the Sinai. This is the region where the Book of Exodus tells us that Moses and the Israelites wandered the desert for 40 years. The landscape I saw was stark and barren—truly a wilderness.

This imagery of the “wilderness” is central to our Lenten reflections, not only in the Exodus story but also in Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness, where he was tested. But this metaphor appears throughout Scripture, with the word “wilderness” being used close to 300 times in both the Old and New Testaments. It’s a powerful image because it resonates with our own experiences and speaks to some important truths that God wants us to know.

We can all relate to the idea of wandering in unfamiliar, uncomfortable places—places we never expected to find ourselves, places where we are challenged in unexpected ways. All of us experience difficult seasons, and during those times, we may question why we’ve been led there.

But the Exodus story reminds us of crucial truths that we may learn through our own wilderness journeys. These periods of hardship can also be times of spiritual transformation.  Like the Israelites, the wilderness can be a journey out of bondage and toward liberation. For some the wilderness can be a place where we learn to rely more fully on God—realizing that we cannot accomplish everything on our own, and our only real hope is to  place our trust in Him. Throughout Scripture, the wilderness serves as a backdrop for stories of dependence on God, and a bold trust in God.  

The wilderness is  a place of struggle, yes, but also one of growth and transformation—a time when our faith is deepened. The wilderness, as difficult as it may be, is where new paths to new life are forged.

These are the truths we are called to reflect on as we journey through Lent—through our own hard truths, toward an even greater truth, most clearly revealed to us at the empty tomb on Easter morning. The path to new life often passes through challenging terrain.

As I looked down a few days ago, at the very path Moses and his people walked, I thought about our own paths and wilderness seasons. The Israelites, thousands of years ago, learned—sometimes not easily—that God never leaves us or forsakes us. He is leading us toward a promised land of grace, blessing, and new life. May that be so for each of us.