Living in the Wilderness

 A Series on Lent
 (Use the link below to read the verses.)
Mark 1:9-13; Matthew 4:1-11

[Lent is the traditional 40-day observance leading up to Easter Sunday in which Christians fast, pray, and prepare spiritually for a time of reverence and adoration of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection. The period of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and concludes with Holy Saturday.]

  

Forty days is a long time to be living in the wilderness by yourself while you’re fasting. Your mind can play tricks on you. You’re more vulnerable to temptations; to the urges of your basic desires. Besides extreme hunger, you can feel angry, lonely and tired; all of which are triggers for temptation.

 

John had just baptized Jesus. His Heavenly Father had affirmed him in the most loving way. The Spirit immediately led Jesus into the wilderness to be tested. It was an important time for Jesus to prepare for what lay ahead of him; to draw as close as possible to his Father; to gain strength for the impending battle.

 

I’m guessing that during his forty days of fasting and preparation, he had a lot on his mind. He may not have known all the specifics of the next three years, but he knew that he was to become the sacrificial Lamb. He knew the end would not be pretty, or pleasant. So as he faced the temptations of Satan, he may very well have been obsessing about his future.

 

When he was tempted to turn stones into bread, he may have wondered what similar temptations he would experience in the future. Would he face the triggers of being hungry, angry, lonely and tired?

 

When he was tempted to test his Father, did he wonder if maybe, just this one time, it would be okay in order to give him a little extra boost in his faith? After all, Gideon had given the Lord multiple tests before he obeyed. Why couldn’t Jesus?

 

When he was offered all the kingdoms of the world, wouldn’t this be a really great safety net for when he was arrested and passed from King Herod to Pilate to the chief priests and to the merciless crowd? For sure, having power over the kingdoms could prevent him from immeasurable suffering.

 

Of course, there’s no way to prove that these thoughts ran through Jesus’ mind during his forty days in the wilderness. But living in the wilderness does bring its share of difficult times and temptations; much like living in the wilderness of our world today. For you and me, the question becomes, how do we respond to these temptations?

 

During the coming forty days of Lent, take time to pause; to read Scripture, to meditate, to journal and to pray. Ask the Lord to reveal himself to you, and to draw you closer to him. Then, may you hear your Heavenly Father say the same words to you as he said to Jesus.

 

¹¹ And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”        NIV