The Wilderness Changes Everyone

The Wilderness Changes Us

 

“In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’”

And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him…. (Mark 1:9-15)

My sense is that Jesus went into the wilderness to prepare for his ministry which God had sent him into the world to do. At his baptism, God had proclaimed him His Son and that he was well pleased with him. However, the human side of Jesus needed time to reflect on his life in this world, his purpose in this life, and how to approach the people God had sent him to.

The Wilderness is a place where one can be alone, away from distractions, away from noise. The wilderness gives us uninterrupted time to think about, to pray about what is important to us, about what God has called us to do.

I believe Jesus reflected on God’s words: what does it mean to me to be God’s Son? What does it mean that God is pleased with me?

And then prayed: How and where do I carry out this mission? Who will help me do this? What if people get upset with what I say or do? Who will continue this ministry after we are all dead, not matter how that happens?

I like Mark’s Gospel because he does not waste any words. He gives us the facts, just the facts, and moves on.

So, right after Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness, Mark tells us, “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” And immediately after that Jesus recruits the first four disciples.”

Yes, we will get more details, from Matthew and Luke, but Mark gives us what we need to know, including some answers to the questions I believe Jesus wrestled with in the wilderness. 

I truly believe Jesus’ wilderness time was not only important to him and his ministry but set an example for us to follow in our lives. Lent is our opportunity to spend wilderness time as Jesus did. Time reflecting on why God sent us here, what are our gifts and talents, what are we called to do to be Co-creators with God in helping fulfill the petition of the Lord’s Prayer for God’s” Kingdom to come on earth as it is in Heaven.”

As we observe Lent, we will have opportunities to be together. To worship and study and enjoy fellowship as we build up the body of Christ on Earth.

I also hope we will all have wilderness time, whether that wilderness is in the forest or on a river, on a walk in our neighborhood, or even a few minutes alone in our homes or garden or yard.

From 1990 until 1995, Psychiatrist and Writer, Gerald May found peace and the presence of God, and meaning in the wilderness. May would go into the forest, and spend days and nights, sometimes just gazing at a fire and “doing nothing.” The Wilderness experience did for May what I believe it did for Jesus. He found a connection with creation and with nature. The nature around him as well as the nature inside of him. He connected with his humanity and with humus, the soil. May rediscovered the presence of God, a presence he referred to as the Slowing.

Five years later, May was diagnosed with cancer and over the years of his treatment and ultimate death, the lessons and he gained from his wilderness time gave him the wisdom and courage to stay connected to creation and to the presence of God, the Slowing, he found.

Wilderness is a place and a time where we find peace, where we find wisdom and guidance. Wilderness is where change can take place.

Wilderness Changes Us: Wilderness changed Jesus and Gerald May and it will change you and me.

Lent leads to Wilderness, leads to Mystery, leads to Change, leads to Life. In wilderness we find our deeper, wilder, more natural selves, and we find God.