Lenten Stillness
An invitation to be led by the Spirit
And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.
He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan;
and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.
(Mark 1:12-13)
First Sunday of Lent
Jesus did not decide on his own to go into the desert. He was led there by the Spirit. Jesus would probably not have chosen to go there any more than any of us would choose to enter into an extended time of struggle. Yet in those challenging forty days Jesus experienced his inner strength and found a clear direction for his future ministry. Out of that empty and hostile sojourn, Jesus came forth “with the power of the Spirit” in him (Luke 4:14).
I can’t imagine any of us liking our own deserts, the parts of our life we want to get rid of as fast as we can: disagreeable relationships, ongoing illness, unsatisfying work, troubling questions about religious beliefs, challenges to our ego and anything else that snatches us away from a contented life. We tend to think our deserts are bad places, but could it be the Spirit leads us there to help us know ourselves better?
Rupp, J. (2008, p. 22). God’s Enduring Presence, Mulgrave, Victoria: John Garrett Publishing
May your wilderness times bring the blessings of change and new perspectives.
Nothing great is ever achieved without enduring much
St Catherine of Siena
