God Is Love

“Jesus returned from the Jordan River full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.” (Luke 4:1)

           Scripture is loaded with stories of events that took place in the wilderness. The word “wilderness” conjures up images of a wild and uncultivated land, like a desert where only wild animals live. It’s not typically the kind of place where one would want to be led by the Spirit. And yet, that’s exactly where the Spirit leads Jesus after he is baptized in the Jordan River.

            Last year I took a trip to Arizona and spent some time in the desert wilderness. It was a stark, remote place that was stunning and beautiful in its own right. It is a risky place where one can get into trouble if certain precautions aren’t taken. One must literally pay attention to each and every step you take as you journey through it. But as you get to that place of keen awareness, you are opened to a truly glorious place where you sense the closeness of God. There is something about the stark, isolated nature of the land that just makes you feel closer to God.

            My wilderness experience last year brought me up close and personal with this prickly pear cactus in the high Sedona Desert. It was truly amazing to stumble upon this “disfigured” cactus in the midst of my desert sojourn. I felt so loved by the “One” who created it all. As the season of Lent unfolds, I pray that you have the opportunity to spend some quiet time in the “wilderness” with God. You never know what you might stumble upon.