Wild is for Wilderness

By John Moore, MA, LCMHC

“…Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.” Luke 6.12

Jesus’ life on earth as a human being was an exemplary.  He modeled prayer, emotion, interaction, discipleship, worship and he showed the need for wilderness experiences.  Luke 5.16 states Jesus “frequently withdrew to the wilderness to pray.”  There are many descriptions of Jesus’ solitary time in the wilderness throughout the Gospels.  “He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.  When evening came, He was there alone…” and “Jesus got up and slipped out to a solitary place to pray.” Have you tried praying alone in the wilderness?  The connection to God is palpable. 

Using Jesus’ example, we can assert that humans were designed to live in nature, learning about God through His creation and learning about oneself and others by experiencing the wilderness together. Today’s youth are growing up indoors, spending hours on computers and gaming devices. As “screen time” increasingly replaces interpersonal communication and tangible experiences, these generations are left with developmental gaps: mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually.

Never before have young people been so protected and distracted from the natural world, its wonders, challenges, adventures, and intrigues. Never before have young people been so “connected” to each other and, yet, so lonely.

As more and more of the population migrates to urban areas [studies reveal our cities are growing three times faster than rural areas] getting outside is becoming more difficult.  The need for the outdoor recreation options is increasing rapidly.  Wild Hope’s mission is to facilitate spiritual growth for those who rarely, if ever, have meaningful encounters with God while in the outdoors. We seek to remind people that nature was intended to be a part of our development and that being in the wild actually makes us more fully human.

Jesus was transfigured on a mountain.   Moses was transfigured on a mountain.   The wilderness can be transformative for you as well.  The wilderness forces us out of our comfort zone where we are able to let go of our anxieties and worries and to focus on survival and ultimately on God.  This week, I encourage you to get outside and to experience God’s presence in His divine creation.