My Dear Friends,

According to the Gospel for today, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, and was anointed by the Holy Spirit.   He then encountered a wilderness experience through which Satan instigated various temptations in order to derail his ministry.  The Psalmist, however, reminds us, that we serve a God who not only leads His people but guides them when they are in the wilderness. (Psalm 78:52)  Surely, our Lord Jesus Christ did not face his struggles independently.   Instead he relied on God for help and support throughout his ordeal.

Christians sometimes find themselves traversing through wildernesses of varying sorts.  But as recorded in Scriptures wildernesses are places where growth can be extremely difficult.  Water is scarce, the terrain is rough, sharp twigs leave scratches on the unprotected parts of the body and the journey seems endless. There are, however, wilderness experiences that are common to humankind.  These occur – in the home, workplace, in divorce court, at a graveside or the grocery store.  Some of the wilderness experiences recorded in Holy Scriptures have the number forty associated with them.  God’s servant Noah, experienced storms for forty days; Moses spent forty years in the desert and Jesus was tempted by the devil for forty days.

The wilderness is often associated with that which weakens your resolve and the temptation to seek an easy way of escape.  A troubled marriage may result in a look in the wrong direction – at someone else’s husband or wife. A financial crisis may tempt a look at the cash register in your place of employment. So the wilderness could be a breeding ground for dishonesty, depression, infidelity, and even callous behaviour – things you normally wouldn’t find appealing.   We are not alone in our wilderness experiences “Jesus” the Son of God “ was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where he was tempted by the devil.” (Luke 4:1-2)

It was God’s will that Jesus encountered Satan face to face.   As the second Adam, Jesus succeeded where the first Adam failed.  St. Paul reminds us in his Epistle to the Romans 5: 19  “Because one person disobeyed … many became sinners.  But because one righteous person obeyed … many will be made righteous.”   Jesus overcame the devil by applying the Word of God.  Three times he said to Satan, ‘It is written’ (Luke 4:4, 8, 12).  God’s Word is still a wilderness survival guide.  After our Lord’s encounter with Satan in the wilderness, he began his ministry clothed in the power of the Spirit.  God can do the same for all who trust him.  He will guide them in the wilderness and lead them in safety without fear.’ (Psalm 78:52-53).

                                             The Very Rev. Rudolph Smithen.

 ——————————————————————————–