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Saturday, February 17, 2018

Driven into the wilderness: 1st Sunday of lent




“He was with wild beasts; and the
angels ministered to Him.”  --Mark 1:12-15


The spirit drove Him into the wilderness where He was tempted by Satan and He dwelt among wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.  Think about this: immediately after He is confirmed as the beloved Son of God, one upon whom God’s favor rests, Jesus is driven by “the spirit” into the wilderness away from His friends and family, His support network, and where he is surrounded by wild beasts and tempted by Satan.  Is that the vision we have of one who is beloved by God and upon whom God’s favor rests? What if Joel Osteen were suddenly found homeless, abandoned by his ministry team, and living on the streets of Houston? Would we say to ourselves: See! There goes a man who is beloved by God. There is someone upon whom God’s favor rests!? 
            But here is Jesus, driven into the wilderness almost as a confirmation of His status as the beloved Son of God.  And as I read it, I am reminded of Abraham who is chosen by God to be the father of His people, and to confirm his importance and his place in God’s plan, Abraham is  immediately sent away from his people and his family, his support network, his security blanket, to a foreign land where he will be vulnerable and dependent –in need of aid, of ministry. He will be a blessing to those who bless him (angels) and a curse to those who curse him (wild beasts). (cf Gen. 12:1-3)
            It must be some kind of sign: God wants us out of our safety zone. He will even drive us away –into the wilderness—to a place where we feel vulnerable and helpless, a place where we may even feel desperate (despairing), and it is there that His angels will minister to us.  And I wonder, is it only there that God’s angels will minister to us? Or is it only there that we will receive them?
            Are we not open or receptive to the angelic presence that is all around us constantly because most of the time we are too focused on our own achievements, our own efforts, our own glories and failures; our resources, our private gifts and treasures?  Do we need to find ourselves in a wilderness surrounded by wild beasts before we can realize we don’t have all the answers. We are not sufficient to all the challenges we face. I can’t do it all by myself!
            And only then, we become aware of the angels around us who come with their hands open and held out, offering help, offering aid, offering comfort –ministering to us in our hour of need. 
            Is it possible that to be beloved by God means one will be driven into the wilderness, among the wild beasts, and tempted, and that is where and how God prepares us to be minstered by His angels?  Only then are we ready; tried in the fire of need and weakness and vulnerability, tempted; and only then are we ready to receive His angels and only then are we ready to go out and proclaim with authority:
            The time is fulfilled. The Kingdom of God is at hand… (Mk 1:15)
Because only then will we speak from experience.

1 comment:

  1. "...even though for a shot time you must bear all sorts of trials; so that the worth of your faith, more valuable than gold, which is perishable even if it has been tested by fire, my be proved..." --1 Peter 6-7

    This seems like a much more fitting reading to be paired with Mark 1 (Jesus in the wilderness). There is in it a clear connection to the trials of this life which we yet suffer. For me that connection speaks to what Paul says when he talks of making up in his own sufferings what was lacking in the Cross (Colossians 1:24). We are driven into the wilderness so that we can be tried and purified and so that we can make up in our own bodies, through our own trials, what is lacking in the perfection of Christ's perfect sacrifice. And what is lacking? Only our Yes.

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