Remaining Open

I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness 
and rivers in the desert.

— Isaiah 43:19 (NRSVUE)

The season of Lent commemorates Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness and offers us an opportunity to prepare for the new reality that Jesus’ Resurrection makes possible. In this issue of The Upper Room, writers describe a variety of wilderness experiences: surgeries and health crises, financial struggles, retirement, moving to new places. Each of these situations is marked by uncertainty and often a sense of isolation. The challenge in wilderness experiences is to remain open and attentive to God’s creative presence. 

How do we remain open, alert for opportunities to experience the “new thing” God is doing in our lives and in the world? Our writers offer a range of practices that help us perceive and share God’s love, including gratitude journals, intercessory prayer, daily scripture study, calling individuals by name, careful listening, and small acts of compassion. I pray that in this season, we will find the practices that open our hearts to all the opportunities God offers so that we may proclaim to the world the hope and grace revealed in the Resurrection.