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 Lent beckons us, a time for looking inward, a spiritual refresh. We’re asked to walk into the ‘desert’ with Jesus. It sounds empty, a wasteland, but it’s often in desert spaces that we can encounter God most clearly. Like Jesus’ forty days alone, we’re invited to shed the clutter of our lives and face what’s deep inside. This week’s reflections will delve into what the desert means in scripture and spiritual stories, how this time of seeming nothingness can actually be full of God’s giving, testing, and close connection. We’ll ponder how the desert, where things are scarce, shows us how much God really provides, and how being alone can make us see his constant presence. We invite you to let the ‘desert’ become a holy place for growing spiritually and encountering God. A collective reflection on God’s grace and our chances for renewal Sunday, March 9, 2025 |
Transition D Matthew 4:1-11 At this time of year I’m watching basketball. One of the things I love about basketball is the smaller roster compared to other team sports, where the impact of each player can be seen pretty clearly. The quick pace of adversity on both ends of the court is perhaps my favorite thing about this game. A team with a good transition defense can often deflate an aggressive, pushy, and attacking offense. Jesus shows how to have that kind of “Transition D” in areas that matter to us today. In this passage of Matthew, Jesus withstands three attacks or temptations in what appears to be quick succession. Let’s see what we might be able to learn from his defensive strategy. First, he is tempted with an appeal to his physical appetite and commitment to fast. Second, his focus is tempted, playing with his safety and challenging a boundary given by God. Last, he is tempted with the sense of power and control from widespread fame or recognition. Temptation one: cravings common to the basic needs of the body (in this case it is food, but could be sex, entertainment, money, belongings, shelter – all temporary fixes which could be done with a snap of his fingers. Jesus’ Transition D: I need that which will last forever more than the expedient and the temporary Prayer: Father, help us reject the temporary in favor of the eternal. Give us eyes to see the difference. Temptation two: playing with our drive for acclaim, arrogance, and security, testing God’s power without strong reasoning. Jesus’ Transition D: Science, intuition, and scripture all tell me it would be unwise to test the limits God has given me (Jesus knows that there will come a time later where the Resurrection will demonstrate God’s power, there is also something to learn here about following a sense of timing that God has written in our hearts). I like having my feet on secure ground and I don’t need to act out in dramatic ways to garner fabricated attention. I can be at peace knowing, I am loved and secure without needing this kind of proof today. Prayer: Father, help me see the ways in which I long for acclaim and direct things according to my timing. Help me loosen my grip in the areas I’m not trusting you with today. Thank you for your power; you are worthy of all praise. Your record stands for itself. Thank you for creating me to play a part in your design. Help me know your timing. Temptation three: challenging our need to be respected, powerful, and in control of how things go (in this case, it is political and/or perhaps economic power). In addition to being the shot-caller socially, this could relate to us desiring a good reputation above other things, or being viewed as competent at work or by family. When I think of the areas I don’t feel strong in, I’m often driven to seek more control, dominance, power. Jesus shows us another way. Jesus’ Transition D: The temptation to have power or to be influential is fleeting. No amount of control or respect is worth putting my spirit into a path of destruction and betraying God. I committed to worship one God. It is not worth turning away from my faith to acquire greater recognition. I want to be famous for different reasons than this. Prayer: God, you created everything and deserve all our MVP votes. If I’ve given anyone or anything else my heart, please help me see how, why, and what to do next. I ask for help in correcting my heart and bringing it back into a right relationship with you. When we look inward, we can see areas in which a pursuit of being filled by the temporary desire for recognition/esteem, and a need for power/control have created problems or conflict in our lives. Take 30-60 seconds and consider if any of your past pain can be tracked back to the need for one or more of those areas to be sated. Ask God to help you see the kinds of defensive strategies you need in your own life, with temptations most pertinent to you today. Anonymous |
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