The Story of the Temptations of Jesus is read to us on the first Sunday of Lent each year. This year we have the brief account of Mark. It is extremely brief but it is full of meaning. “The Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness and he remained there for 40 fays, and was tempted by the devil.”
Let’s take the words. It is the Spirit of God that is the initiator of this event. The Spirit drives Jesus. This strongly indicates that the Spirit of God is in charge of this event. The wilderness is an important word. The other Gospels say ‘desert’. It refers to the 40 years the Chosen people spent in the desert. It was a good experience. It was better than being in slavery to Pharaoh. It was a time when they learnt to trust God for everything – food, water, protection. It was not as good as the promised land, but for the minute it is safe and secure.
It is the experience of Jesus that Baptism in the Holy Spirit is followed by a desert experience and Temptation. The desert experience is ‘driven’ by the Holy Spirit. The temptation is driven by the devil.
We can expect as followers of Jesus that the same process will be in our life. It is a rule of divine grace that deep experiences of God’s love are followed by temptation. The devil attacks us more after deeply spiritual experiences. Maybe he didn’t have to worry as much before our grace moments! The Holy Spirit leads, indeed drives us into the wilderness to learn to depend on God for everything in our life.
Jesus experienced the Holy Spirit. He also experienced the devil. The angels looked after him!!
Let’s take the words. It is the Spirit of God that is the initiator of this event. The Spirit drives Jesus. This strongly indicates that the Spirit of God is in charge of this event. The wilderness is an important word. The other Gospels say ‘desert’. It refers to the 40 years the Chosen people spent in the desert. It was a good experience. It was better than being in slavery to Pharaoh. It was a time when they learnt to trust God for everything – food, water, protection. It was not as good as the promised land, but for the minute it is safe and secure.
It is the experience of Jesus that Baptism in the Holy Spirit is followed by a desert experience and Temptation. The desert experience is ‘driven’ by the Holy Spirit. The temptation is driven by the devil.
We can expect as followers of Jesus that the same process will be in our life. It is a rule of divine grace that deep experiences of God’s love are followed by temptation. The devil attacks us more after deeply spiritual experiences. Maybe he didn’t have to worry as much before our grace moments! The Holy Spirit leads, indeed drives us into the wilderness to learn to depend on God for everything in our life.
Jesus experienced the Holy Spirit. He also experienced the devil. The angels looked after him!!
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