In The Wilderness

Jesus begins his public ministry with 40 days in the wilderness. The story is recorded Matthew 4 (NIV):

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'"

Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."
Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'"
Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

I am challenged to reflect on what tempts me and how I will face the temptations. The temptations are numerous and often I forget to look to Jesus first and instead, I surrender to the temptation. Temptations can take many forms. It can be idolatry, pride, sexual, money, food, bad language, poor entertainment choices, and the list goes on and on.

The good news is that the High Priest, Jesus, in his state of humilation was truly hungry and tired. He never summoned his divine powers, but was human. He knows the full weight of temptation, but never surrended. He used the Word. My hope is that in times of temptation I can look to the Word for strength and guidance.

I now have a small rock with several of my toughest temptations written on it in a number 2 pencil sitting on top of a piece of paper with Scripture. It's a visual reminder. My prayer during the Lent and beyond is to feast on God's Word often.

Lent

As a Lutheran, I observe Lent. This is the 40 day period before Easter, excluding the Sundays. It is a time to feast on the Word of God.

It is a time of preparation for the celebration of the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus. Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and ends with Holy Week. It is penitential and reflective as I prayerfully consider the meaning of Christ's suffering and death for my salvation.

The word "Lent" comes from the middle English "lente" (springtime) and the old Anglo-Saxon word "lengten" (the time when days grow longer).

By the second century, Christians were preparing for the festival of Easter with a two-day fast. In the third century this was extended to all of Holy Week and, by the first Ecumenical Council of Nicea in 325 A.D., a forty-day period of fasting was being observed. The Lenten period always had, and still has, an emphasis on baptism, for it was the period when new Christians were prepared for their baptism at the Easter Vigil. It is a time for us to affirm who we are, and whose we are.