The Wilderness - September 18

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 56, 57, [58]; PM Psalm 64, 65; 1 Kings 21:1-16; 1 Cor. 1:1-19; Matt. 4:1-11

“He (Jesus) fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished.” – Matthew 4:2 

Jesus’s forty days in the wilderness are filled with temptation.  The gospel writer makes sure that the reader knows that Jesus is famished.  One thought might be that Satan visits Jesus three times while he is fasting in the wilderness with the idea that maybe Satan can persuade Jesus to be weakened in some way.  It is only in the wilderness during this period that Jesus is tempted by Satan.  It’s easy to make the assumption that when one is outside of their element, cut off from the world without the comforts of day-to-day life life would be more challenging.

Another reading might be, that Jesus is aware of the forces of evil precisely because he is in the wilderness in touch with his own suffering.   

I’ve written over the past few weeks about my engagement with Bonhoeffer’s Letters and Papers from Prison. One of the ideas that has been most stirring has been his criticism of people and their suffering.  Bonhoeffer’s composure in prison is rather remarkable as his faithfulness enables him to remain positive (most of the time) seeing even his imprisonment as part of the life that God has given him.  He argues that being able to accept his misfortune, and be faithful through his misfortune, is precisely how he is able to have compassion and remain connected to others who suffer without despair that would render him unable to care.

Maybe there are always temptations in our life.  Yesterday as we baptized several young people in our congregation, we were asked a few different questions.  “Do you renounce sinful desires that draw you from the love of God?  Do you renounce the evil powers of the world which corrupt and destroy the creatures of God?  Do you renounce Satan and all the spiritual forces of wickedness that rebel against God?  These aren’t questions for when we are stuck in the wilderness famished and looking for hope.  These are everyday questions about our values, and practices of life that deepen our relationship with God and with each other.  We just become more aware of what those forces are when our lives are famished, and we find ourselves in a spiritual wilderness. 

The real challenge is to learn to see the wilderness as a gift from God too so that the totality of our lives can be a faithfulness that helps us learn to not only be more grateful of the God who created and redeemed us, but better in touch with our care for each other, especially those who find themselves in a wilderness too. 

Faithfully,

John+

Questions for Self-Reflection:  When have you found yourself in a spiritual wilderness?  When are you most attuned to the suffering and pain of others?