Pastor's sermon is based on the gospel lesson. As we go through life, we are tempted to forget the promises of God. We are threatened by the danger of the unknown. Meanwhile, God continues to watch over us and wait on us. Like it or not, the wilderness is where we live our lives. It’s the place between certainty and doubt, between hope and fear, and between promises made and promises kept. Still, even in the wilderness, there are times when God's presence is unmistakable. Moments when the extraordinary breaks through the thin layer of the ordinary and blinds us with its brilliance, when angels outnumber wild beasts. Those moments come when we face the fear of the wilderness and gather the courage and the strength to take the next step. Those are the moments when the kingdom does come near. Amen!
