Christmas 2014 Meditation Four

Judean Desert
Luke 4:1-13

Just like Jesus we are driven to the desert today. Luke calls it the wilderness, but it is not the wilderness many of us think of. I think wilderness and I see trees and animals scurrying around. This wilderness is dry, barren, hilly, and hot. There are no animals scurrying about because there is nothing for them to eat or drink.

This is not the place I would want to hang out for forty days before beginning my ministry. It is beautiful, but not comfortable. The Spirit led Jesus here, the same spirit we call Advocate, Counselor, the giver of life (Nicene Creed). This Great Comforter led Jesus to a place without life, without water, without shelter. God didn't send comfort right away, He let Jesus suffer for forty days; forty days is a long time!

There is no quick, easy comfort. God allowed Jesus to suffer hunger, thirst, pain and temptation. I wonder if Jesus cried out to God in moments of weakness. Did he recite the 23rd Psalm or another Scripture verse for comfort? Did he understand why this was happening? Did Jesus know that he would come out stronger, closer to God, ready to start his ministry? Or did his humanity get in the way and fear overtake him?

Then to add to the pain, the devil shows up and tempts Jesus. Luke tells us that Jesus answered all of the devil's temptations with Scripture. Did Jesus really remember those quotes or was it the Holy Spirit speaking? In one of his weakest moments Jesus finds the words to send the devil away. I'm in awe of that ability; perhaps this is Jesus' divinity shining through.

Maybe that is the message of Jesus' temptation - Jesus is human AND divine. He came on this earth and suffered hunger, thirst, pain and temptation like all of us, BUT he had the strength to send the devil away. Maybe we are to remember this story as a reminder that we need Jesus. Without Jesus we cannot fight the devil. Without Jesus we cannot find the strength, grace or forgiveness that we need to get through the pain of hunger, thirst, pain and temptation.

Standing at the top of the Mount of Temptation, looking down on Jericho and the Dead Sea beyond I was reminded of how small I am and how big God is. I was fortunate to have the "Rock of Temptation" to myself for a few minutes. I prayed that Jesus would take my temptation for me, because I can't handle it myself. I will stand in the desert, lonely and afraid but Jesus has already won the battle for me. He has won the battle for all of us!

Mount of Temptation