The wilderness is a world of uncertainty. A world without comfort, tradition, or even the rule of law, with no established norms and no safety net. Any decision could mean life or death; every choice is an act of faith.
The wilderness is the world of Genesis 12-50.
When God calls Abram, the first patriarch, he calls Abram away from city and family and prosperity into the wilderness. He calls them to a life of insecurity, knowing that they’ll struggle and fail; but in his grace, he teaches them to walk through the wilderness with faith in him.
The story of Genesis 12-50 isn’t just the story of the founding of our faith; it’s also the story of a God who meets struggling, insecure, sinful people in a hard world and carries them with his grace. It’s a story of how, even in a world that offers no comfort or guide, we can trust a God who enters the wilderness with us.