There’s a story behind each of these stories.
I started trying to write about women in the Bible and was drafting something on Sarai/ Sarah, wife of Abram/ Abraham, when I discovered that what I actually wanted to do was write about Hagar’s unexpected experience of God. So I did- The God Who Sees Me and God Hears- and so this became a series on deserts rather than women (that’ll have to wait for another opportunity) although I did try to include women’s points of view.
I Will Be With You is about Moses- a man remembered as one of the ‘greats’ of the Old Testament, but who really didn’t welcome the call from God when it came. Many others down the years could probably understand that. I guess it shows that it doesn’t matter how you see yourself, you don’t have to be perfect to make a difference.
Seven Days, on the other hand, is from the point of view of Moses' sister Miriam, who got in trouble for being jealous of Moses' connection to God. I was fascinated by what could have taken her from leading praise after the crossing of the Red Sea to rebelling against Moses’ authority in the desert. This isn’t a reassuring encounter, but it is an interesting one.
Too Much For You and The Gentle Whisper are about Elijah- a person whose experience has really resonated with me this year, not least because I can identify with a lot of what Elijah seems to have felt (minus the miracles, unfortunately)- his experiences share a lot of similarity with what we might recognise as depression or other forms of mental illness today. I may have read too much of my own experience into his, but I still feel that it might be helpful for others.
And there's one more to come as an Easter surprise!
Some of the landscapes in these stories may not strictly be deserts, and not all deserts are hot! But all I think all share that sense of wilderness, 'apart-ness' that deserts have. Deserts are obviously associated with Lent- when Western churches mark Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness experiencing temptation and preparing for his period of teaching, miracles and eventually his death. Early Christian leaders also felt drawn to deserts to separate themselves from humanity and get closer to God, and the roots of monastic traditions can be found there. To me, there’s a season for that kind of separation, but too much of it can be unhealthy- we’re called to be God’s people in the world, not to shut ourselves off all the time. But modern day rediscoveries of retreat and ‘new monasticism’ show the power of setting aside some time and space outside normal routine.
I’ve never been in a real desert, but the last year of Covid has definitely been outside our ‘normal’ and something of a desert time. Some have compared it to an extended Lent, where a lot has been given up.
So whatever Lent is like for you, maybe something in these stories will resonate, will mean something to you, give you something to think about. I hope so.
