The Season Of Lent

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. -Matthew 4:1-2

“He was hungry.” That’s an understatement if I ever read one! I can hardly go 4 hours without eating or drinking something, much less 40 days. But Jesus knew the power of fasting. It isn’t about giving up food in order to lose weight. It isn’t to show our strength in the face of temptation. Fasting is about emptying ourselves so that we can better be filled with God.

Jesus had just come from his baptism by John in the River Jordan. The Holy Spirit made a special appearance, and the voice of God was heard to say, “This is my beloved Son.” Now that same Spirit led him into the wilderness to be tempted. The word used here more accurately means “tested”. And the one who would do the testing was the devil.

Why would Jesus need to be tested? Perhaps it was to help him clarify how he would live out being the Son of God. He had the power to do magic tricks so that he would never have to be hungry…He could turn stones into bread. He had the protection of angels so he would never have to come to harm. He had the right to assume authority over all the nations.

But instead, Jesus decided to go hungry, so he could be the bread of life for us. He determined it was better to be wounded for our transgressions, than to avoid pain. He decided he would rather rule our hearts than assume an earthly throne.

The season of Lent is a time for self-examination and fasting. Like Jesus, we need to determine how we will live out being sons and daughters of God. Take some time to clear your thoughts, look at your motives, and make a new commitment to imitate Christ during this Holy Season.

Pastor Jean