Matthew 4:1-11

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is written,
'One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,
'He will command his angels concerning you,'
and 'On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.'"
Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
'Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.'"
Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

In each of the Gospel writings, the story of Jesus in the wilderness is recorded. Mark’s account is very short, the others are much longer and more detailed. When we read of this event, we often think of “the wilderness” as an awful place—a barren, forsaken place—where there is nothing. The story of Jesus sets the atmosphere: The Spirit drives Jesus there, he is alone for 40 days and nights, he is tempted by the devil (yuk!), and he is hungry—nothing seems to grow in the wilderness. The picture conjured up in the mind is an awful, waterless, foodless, lonely place.

I just returned from a hike in the desert at Linda Vista Trail in Tucson. It is spring-time (March) and there was a good rain a few days ago. The desert is green—grass covers the sandy, rocky ground; the flowers are beginning to bloom, the cactus are deep green with buds beginning to pop out, and the air is fresh and clean. The sun shines warm during the day with cool evenings. The wash has become a river flowing over walkways and is cruising along at a rapid rate. Rabbits hop, roadrunners cross our path, the birds are going about their business allowing us to listen in on their conversations, and lurking in darker spots are deer and javelinas, bob cats and snakes.

I imagine Jesus being driven here to pray, to meditate and search his heart to identify the best way to go about the mission God has for him. It would be a rich time of communion. And, as always happens when we are seeking out the better way of God, distractions and dreams that define the world’s way can get in the way. Jesus demonstrates to us that “the devil” can be rebuked—set aside—in the wilderness—in our daily living—for doing God’s way.

I find peace and comfort as I walk or hike the hills and plains of the desert—the wilderness where I can breathe in the freshness of God’s creation and re-connect with God. Find your desert spot—that special place where you can touch the goodness of God and be reminded of God’s re-creative spirit.

Prayer: I come, O God, to my desert place where I can meet you again and again. Let my heart be open to your word of direction and hope. Amen.

Song: “Lord, Be Glorified” (ELW 744)

Verse 1

In my life Lord
Be glorified be glorified
In my life Lord
Be glorified today

Verse 2

In my song Lord
Be glorified be glorified
In my song Lord
Be glorified today

Verse 3

In Your church Lord
Be glorified be glorified
In Your church Lord
Be glorified today

Verse 4

In our home Lord
Be glorified be glorified
In our home Lord
Be glorified today

CCLI Song # 26368

Bob Kilpatrick

CCLI License # 328963