And now for something totally different...

This morning I led a Lent Quiet morning at church. I thought I would post the 3 short talks I did. Maybe something will speak to you. Will post the other two over the next two days.

Matthew 4: 1-11.

Then Jesus was led out into the wilderness by the spirit for forty days and forty nights to be tested by the devil.Matt 4: 1

Prior to this reading of Jesus being tempted in the desert we have the account of His baptism by John. Such an amazing experience. God is so obviously present….The Holy Spirit descends like a dove and the voice of the Father is heard…”This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.”

And now the same Spirit who was present at His baptism leads Jesus into the desert for 40 days and forty nights specifically so He can be tempted by the devil.

Jesus was called by God into the wilderness for a specific time, a specific reason and purpose. Going into the wilderness has been a tradition in the church since the earliest days of Christianity. Men and women have felt the call of God to withdraw from society and live life alone, focusing their entire attentions on hearing the voice of God, praying for the world and coming face to face with who they really are and acknowledging their complete dependence on God. The call of the wilderness, the draw of solitude, a life lived alone or sometimes in community but away from society, totally reliant on God.

Of course along with the actual physical wilderness there is spiritual wilderness. I guess all of us at some point in our lives have experienced times when it feels like we are in some kind of dark Godless place and it is not an easy place to be. The experience of Jesus shows that wilderness time is hard, frightening, lonely and unlike those who are called to solitary life, not something we would choose!

So how do we end up in the wilderness, the last place on earth we want to be? People end up in the wilderness for so many reasons. Situations and circumstances throw us in there, our faces covered with hot and painful sand causing us to be blind and feeling like we have lost our way.

Death, divorce, addiction, fear and loneliness, physical, emotional and mental illness can all drive us into the wilderness.

So what then do we learn from the account of Jesus in the wilderness? What can we hear God saying to us as we ponder these words of scripture? Is there any hope for us and for others when we find ourselves in hard places?

Jesus has redeemed the wilderness. He has been there, conquered it and shown us His power in it.

1) Can you identify any wilderness times in your life? What took you there, what brought you out the other side or are you still there?
2) Do you see any hope in this passage and if so what gives you hope?
3) Who do you know who is in the wilderness and needs to know the grace and comfort of Jesus who because of His own experience knows what they are going through?
4) Read Psalm 42. How did David respond to his time of wilderness experience?


Lord, thank you for the things you long to teach me and show me about your love in the wilderness areas of my life. Amen.

With love,

Rachel.