Episode 12 – The Interior Wilderness: Encountering God in the Desert with Noel Forlini Burt

Noel is both an Old Testament scholar and a spiritual director — two threads that run through my own story. My early academic path was aimed toward becoming an Old Testament scholar, but my vocation ultimately led me into spiritual direction. Even so, my love for the Hebrew Bible has never faded. Talking with Noel gave me the chance to explore both the scholarly depth and the spiritual formation that emerge in the wilderness stories of Scripture.

Key Themes we Discussed (and Wrestled With)

naming our interior landscape

encountering God in desolation and disorientation

biblical wilderness as a formative space

varied terrains of wilderness in the Old Testament

the Suscipe: An Ignatian prayer of trust

What stuck with me

Wilderness is not a single metaphor. It’s a range of terrains — and each one can become a place of encounter.

A question for reflection

Where do you notice wilderness in your own interior landscape, and what stands out as you name it?

The Suscipe Prayer of St Ignatius

Take, Lord, and receive all of my independence,

Memory, understanding, and my entire will

—all of my resources and possessions.

Everything is yours. I entrust all of it to your care.

Only inflame my soul with your love and grace.

That is enough for me.

(Translated by Deborah Gregory, Spiritual Wayfinding (https://www.ivpress.com/spiritual-wayfinding) , pg 75)

About Noel’s book

God in the Desert: A Spiritual Theology of Wilderness in the Old Testament traces how God meets people in barren, exposed, or disorienting places — and how those ancient encounters can help us understand the landscapes within our own lives.

Where to find Dr. Noel Forlini Burt

Book: God in the Desert: A Spiritual Theology of