We’re hearing a lot about the wilderness this Lent.
On the first Sunday in Lent (February 22), we find Jesus in the wilderness (see Mark 1:12-13). His baptism by John in the Jordan saw the Spirit descend onto him, and that same Spirit pushed him into the uncivilized and undomesticated outdoors. He’s been pushed away from cities, people, and the land of Israel. Like the Israelites who spent 40 years in the wilderness after Moses led them out of Egypt, Jesus is now spending 40 days in a place where he is totally dependent on God.
When was the last time you were in a place totally dependent on God?
Part of our Lenten journey is recognizing our dependence on God. This isn’t always easy to notice. I know I tend to put my dependence in other things or people. When I have a good job, financial security, a happy family, and great health, it’s easy to not notice what I have and instead strive for what I don’t. And when things get rough, my sense of dependence turns elsewhere. It’s easy to kick God to the curb, throwing ourselves towards who, or what, we believe is in power or control. God can feel so distant or unreachable; we don’t even put God into view.
I invite you this Lent to intentionally examine your dependence on God. Find a place in your home, away from what you need to do, and take a moment to sit with God. Sit with Mark 1:12-13. Pick an area of your life (work, school, family, etc.) and unpack how God matters in it. Get into the details and the nitty-gritty because God is there. God is present. And you matter so much to God; there’s nowhere God won’t go.
See you in church!
Pastor Marc