Well, here we are. The season of Lent is underway. How are you celebrating it? How, over the next forty days or so, will you grow closer to God? After all, that is what it is all about. Lent is not just about giving up some chocolate or eating fish on Fridays, its about drawing nearer to God in all that we say and do.
Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness and during those days, sure he fasted, but he also found himself encountering obstacles, decisions he had to make about why he was doing what God called him to do. Was it for personal privilege, social power, and increased authority? Or was it to fully digest the word of God, understand his place in God’s plan, and be 100% convinced of his participation in it? (Take a look at Matthew 4:1-11 to really understand what Jesus went through.)
As Jesus faced the temptations of the devil there in the desert wilderness, he was determined to do whatever was necessary to see him through it. He meditated on the word of God. He prayed, communicating with God about all that lay on his heart. And, he fasted, setting aside the things of the world that were distracting him from the task. Will you do the same during this season of spiritual wandering in the wilderness? Will you be obedient to the call to practice spiritual disciplines during this time of self-reflection?
Always pondering,
Pastor Steve
