As I left to go to a doctor appointment I had scheduled for that day, I walked out my door and was greeted by a huge blast of hot air! I knew it would be very hot today because I faithfully listen to the news and the weather report. I remember the weather man forecasting a heat warning for a few days and it would be advisable not to go outside if at all possible.

As I got into my very hot car and started the engine, I immediately went to turn on the air conditioning in my car. It seemed like it took a bit longer than normal to cool the inside of my car a few degrees.

As I drove to my doctor appointment, patiently waiting for the air conditioning to cool my car, I thought back to the times when I was very young and actually played out in hot days like today. Trust me when I say it was just as hot back then when we played outside, I guess with being a kid and wanting to be outside, the heat didn’t seem to faze me as much as it does now.

Not knowing what having a swimming pool was like, to keep cool, I remember we would squirt each other with the water hose and that always felt so good. I guess getting older has made me soft and less resistant to the heat than I once was.

When I first got saved, the excitement and anticipation of what the Lord would do in my life was beyond measure. You couldn’t keep out of the church when the doors were open. Mid-week services were another opportunity to come together with other believers to worship the Lord and learn more about Him. Bible studies were also another way for me to grow in the Lord and enjoy the fellowship of other believers.

When I got married and my wife and I had kids, it never hindered us attending church on Sunday’s and mid-week services. That wasn’t even an option for us. I have sadly seen so many solid Christians who have slacked back on attending church on a regular basis or even attending Bible studies

As I spoke to a close friend of mine, he brought up a couple who at one time were leaders in the church and faithfully attended church services. My friend told me this couple had pulled back so far from the church and it saddened me greatly

I recently came across this quote: “You don’t know a man until you know him in the wilderness.” (emphasis added) When I read this, it so moved my heart because it some ways, I have forgotten what the Lord did for me in my wilderness times in life. Speaking of the Lord, Hosea 13:5 “I cared for you in the desert, in the land of the burning heat” (emphasis added)

I’ve always said, it’s always easy to praise the Lord, to give Him thanks when everything in life is going well. It always means more, it’s more precious to praise the Lord and give Him thanks in our desert, wilderness times in life.

One of the definitions of the word apathy says: “An absence of emotion or enthusiasm.” Would you say that defines your walk with the Lord today? All that is needed to do get that emotion, that enthusiasm back in our walk with the Lord is recall the many times He cared for us in our desert times, in our wilderness moments.

Our Lord is always faithful, yet too often we are not always so faithful and its simply because we forgot what He did for us.