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Category: Lenten reflections 2012: Retreating Into the Wilderness with Jesus

Lenten reflections 2012: Retreating Into the Wilderness with Jesus, Day 5, Feb. 27

Published by V John on February 27, 2012

Day 5, Monday, Feb. 27, 2012

 Please read Exodus chapter 16-17 for today. The wilderness experience of Jesus was identical to the experience of Israelites. Jesus and Israelites both saw the manifestation of God’s power and glory just before the Lord led them into the wilderness. However, there is a contrast in their responses to the reality of wilderness. A few days into it and the Israelites “murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness” (Exodus 16: 2). They all began to worry about food. Soon, they accused Moses saying, “You have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger” (Ex 16:3 RSV). God fed them with manna but soon after that they again grumbled: “Therefore the people found fault with Moses, and said, ‘Give us water to drink’” (Ex 17:2 RSV). This went on and on for the rest of their journey in to the wilderness.

 Jesus, however, responded with fasting for forty days and nights during His wilderness experience. Unlike Israelites, Jesus was alone in the wilderness and He knew there was hardly any possibility of getting food or drink. Although He was God Himself and He could have produced anything He wanted to eat or drink, as He was the Creator, yet, He decided to fast. He was the One who brought forth the world and everything in it out of nothing (Genesis 1-2), as Apostle Paul said:

“For in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities—all things were created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16).

And yet, Jesus chose to adopt a spiritual discipline of fasting to pass through his wilderness. Thus, Jesus laid the foundation of the tradition of fasting during Lent. Out of all spiritual disciplines, fasting is perhaps the most effective way of taking away our dependence on material stuff and fully focusing on spiritual matters. Fasting helps us deny ourselves and our physical needs for a certain period in order to teach us that “man shall not live by bread alone!” Fasting made Jesus quite week for a few days as a human being in the flesh; however, it strengthened Him spiritually and prepared Him well for the task of ministry for the future. Fasting also equipped Him to face the greater temptations that the devil was about to bring Him into. That’s why Jesus was able to come out of them victoriously and became a blessing to all those who are facing a wilderness or being tempted just as He was. So, if today you find yourself all alone in a challenging wilderness. If today you’re facing an insurmountable temptation, learn from Jesus and respond by adopting a discipline of fasting and prayer. And you, too, will come out victorious. Amen.

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Lenten reflections 2012: Retreating into the wilderness with Jesus, Day 4

Published by V John on February 25, 2012

#4. Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012

We saw in the scriptures, yesterday, that wilderness is integral to the spiritual life of believers. It works like a furnace to refine us and to make us stronger Christians. Keeping with the long tradition of the Old Testament, Jesus, too, was led into the wilderness experience. We need to be clear though that it was not the devil but the Holy Spirit who led Jesus into the wilderness. All three gospel writers are quick to point out this fact (read Matthew 3:16, 4:1, Mark 1:10-12, Luke 3: 21-22, 4:1-2). It teaches us that God permits suffering and pain in our lives for a purpose.

Jesus being fully God did not need penitence. He did not need to repent of any sins, as He was completely sinless even when he was completely human in His earthly days. Even though Jesus was sinless, God the Holy Spirit led God the Son to experience wilderness in order that He will be completely dependent on God the Father. Thus, the triune God was involved in the  wilderness experience of Jesus Christ because it was so significant for the salvation of humanity. That’s why we read in the book of Hebrews 5: 8—“Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (KJV). Through Christ’s suffering which began in the wilderness and continued throughout his life until his painful death on the cross, He completely identified with us human beings. Therefore, He fully understands whatever your wilderness experience may be today—be it pain, sickness, death of a loved one, financial crisis, uncertain future, concern for your loved ones, unemployment, underemployment, insecurity, misunderstandings, marriage on the rocks, and so on. Whatever it may be, Jesus Christ, our Lord knows and understands it fully because He has been in the wilderness Himself. He knows what you are going through today; He knows that God has permitted this time in your life. But He also knows that God is omnipotent to bring you through it and through this experience, make you a better vessel suited for His purposes. Once again, the book of Hebrews says in 4:14-16:

“Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (New Revised Version). Amen.

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Lenten reflections 2012: Retreating into the wilderness with Jesus, day 2

Published by V John on February 23, 2012

#2. Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

As we continue our retreat with Jesus into the wilderness, please read the Gospel of Luke 3:21-22 and 4:1-2. When Jesus was baptized at the Jordan River, Luke says, he was “full of the Holy Spirit.” And then, it was the Holy Spirit that led Jesus in to the wilderness (4:1). Once there, the devil tempted Jesus for forty days. It’s not that the devil tempted Jesus only at the end of His fast; rather, it was a relentless temptation from the devil throughout this period of lent. And towards the end of the fast, the devil intensified his temptations as he wished to break Jesus during his frailest point in life and thus thwart the plan of God for humanity if he could. It seems quite odd here. How could Satan tempt Jesus, the Son of God, who has just been baptized thus fulfilling “all righteousness,” on whom the Holy Spirit has just descended, and whom God has declared publicly as his “beloved son” and with whom He is “well pleased” (Matthew 3: 15-17, Luke 3:22)? How could God let that happen, we ask.

Most of us feel that if we draw near to God during Lent, if we grow spiritually, and if we fulfill all the external things during the Lenten season, then, we would not face any temptation or suffering. We assume that God should not let problems and pains come in our lives. Many prosperity preachers also tell people today that just believing in Jesus will solve all their problems and heal all their diseases. Friends, it doesn’t work that way! As we just saw, none of us have done or can ever do what Jesus did and yet, the Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness by  to be tempted by the devil!

Beloved child of God, if today you find yourself in the wilderness of pain, suffering, disease, loneliness, lack of financial resources, marital discord, or any other trouble, please ask the help of the Holy Spirit. Even if we draw near to God, we will still face problems and temptations in our life on earth. But the good news is that God has given us a helper and even an advocate called the Holy Spirit (see John 14:16-17). God has promised His Spirit to those who ask, as it is written: “As bad as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks” (Luke 11:13 Contemporary English Version). So, the Spirit will help us in our walk with God and help us overcome our troubles and temptations. Therefore, let us travel with Jesus in the rest of this season with the confidence that the Spirit is with you to the will of God. Amen!

VJ

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Lenten reflections 2012: Retreating Into the Wilderness with Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11)

Published by V John on February 22, 2012

Ash Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012.

The English word “lent” comes from some European roots that simply mean “spring” because of the season of the year in which observance of the Lent falls. However, in the original Latin and Greek languages, “lent” meant “fortieth” day before Easter. Lent is observed from the early days of Christianity for six weeks or forty days excluding Sundays. It begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday (the day before Easter Sunday). The Sundays are excluded because each Sunday is a mini-Easter that reminds us to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. These forty days remind the believers of their Lord’s forty days spent in the wilderness of Israel just before he began His earthly ministry. Therefore, the theme of our Lenten devotionals will be “Retreating into the Wilderness with Jesus.”

The church has historically set aside the Lenten season for a time of soul-searching and repentance. It is a season for reflection and taking stock of lives. It’s a preparatory time for the celebration of Easter, when the faithful rededicated themselves and when converts were instructed in the faith and prepared for baptism. By observing the forty days of Lent, believers try to follow Jesus’ withdrawal into the wilderness to spend time in solitude with fasting for forty days (Read: Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13).

Thus, Lent helps us take Jesus’ life and death more seriously, and celebrate his resurrection more fully. Let us resolve, therefore, that with the help of the Holy Spirit we will set aside some time in our clogged schedules to read the Scriptures, meditate on it, and pray. Spending time in the Word of God is significant for Lent because you will notice in the passages above that in every instance of temptation Jesus fought back Satan by saying: “It is written!” As we journey together with Jesus during this solemn season, let us begin by asking ourselves a few questions today, such as: When I wake up on Resurrection Sunday morning, April 8, 2012, how will I be different? Is there sin in my life that gets in the way of loving God with my whole heart? What am I going to do about that sin in the next forty days? Is there anyone in my life from whom I need to ask forgiveness or pursue reconciliation? What are some things in my life that I can give up for Lent that will help me draw near to God? How does giving it up draw me closer to God and prepare me for Easter?
May God be with you in your forty days spiritual journey! Amen.

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