Lent 2019 | Day 13 | Jesus is Tested in the Wilderness

One of the primary ways we find strength is by seeing Jesus and how much he loves us. For the next few weeks of our guided prayer we are going to take strength by meditating on what Jesus went through for us - what he endured, what he sacrificed for us. The scripture teaches us that the greatest demonstration of Love is to lay down your life for another. Throughout Jesus’s time on earth he was continually “laying his life down” for us. Each day we’ll take one example of Jesus doing this and ponder it.

SCRIPTURE

------

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. - Luke 4:1-2 (NIV)

REFLECTION

------

(Ponder and grow in your awareness of Jesus’ life of sacrifice by reflecting on the following questions.)

Jesus, this scene is hard for me to imagine. It is hard for me to comprehend. I ask you to help me understand. Help me to see you suffering for us.

You, the King of Kings … alone, in the desert … hungry, cold, hot, lonely … for us. Did anyone know or understand what you were doing?

Did those close to you know why you left for 40 days? Did they feel abandoned? Did you feel abandoned? Did you have to hold the tension of your friends and family “not getting it”? Was there anyone you could share your experience with after you returned?

For 40 days you were tempted by the devil. You must have been so weak after so many days of his persistent seduction and mockery and hatred. And yet you found strength through it all. Could you feel the Father and the Holy Spirit’s nearness…or was part of the test feeling the depth of the separation?

I can only ponder what you may have felt but I draw close to your struggle. Thank you for fighting through those 40 days and towards the fullness of your purpose.

Precious Jesus … you are not a pristine priest who is out of touch with our reality. You’ve been through weakness and testing. You understand humanity. For as a Man, You, our magnificent King-Priest, were tempted in every way just as we are, and you conquered sin. You emerged victorious, without failing God … without failing us. You fought for us in the wilderness when no one even knew to thank you.

And now here you are ready to give mercy.

- Hebrews 4:15 (MSG, TPT, The Voice, ESV) (Paraphrase)

RESPONSE

------

The fact that you did this for me, that you counted all things loss for my sake inspires me and moves my heart toward you in love and worship. That you struggled through the test and came out victorious.

I say with the Apostle Paul:

Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for your sake. I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing You Christ Jesus my Lord.

Thankfully my righteousness is completely based on the faithfulness of Jesus Christ - the very righteousness that comes from God.

I long to know the wonders of Jesus more fully and to experience the overflowing power of his resurrection working in me. I will be one with him in his sufferings and I will be one with him in his death.

Only then will I be able to experience complete oneness with him in his resurrection from the realm of death.

Of course I haven’t yet acquired the absolute fullness that I’m pursuing, but I run with passion into Your abundance so that I may reach the purpose that You Jesus Christ have called me to fulfill and want me to discover. I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead. I run straight for the divine invitation of reaching the heavenly goal and gaining the victory-prize through the anointing of Jesus. - Philippians 3 7-14 (paraphrase)