Lent is a very HOLY season for Christian people. Lent has 40 days (not counting Sundays). Jesus had 40 days in the wilderness where He faced temptations. We can too face a wilderness time in our lives. It can happen in one day or in many days. Or it can happen in an hour or in the next few minutes.
There are many things that can trigger our “wilderness moments.” The unexpected moment in our lives may arrive: in a tragic death, discovery of cancer, break up of a marriage or friendships, or some material loss. Experiences in the wildernesses will not be the same for every person. Our path in the wilderness will determine where we place our heart, mind, and soul. It depends upon our preparations!
Some us may run from the experience as fast as we can. Some of us may be stopped for a moment, then turn and go in the opposite direction. Some of us may wander and stumble along the way. Some of us may just live in denial.
Matthew 4: 1 – 17 records the temptations of the wilderness for Jesus. “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. 3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written,
‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 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.’”
7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; 9 and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
‘Worship the Lord your God,and serve only him.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.”
Jesus answer all these temptations by declaring the power of His Father over this world. We need the power of God in our lives. We need to praise God and worship God in our life. In Lent provides us with 40 days to read the word of God, reflect on the word of God and be in prayer to renew our lives. Lent is a time to make personal decisions about our personal spiritual journey in our lives.
In our wilderness, there can be many temptations that will be present to us. With the power of God and the Love of Jesus we can push the temptations aside. We can do this only if we have opened our lives to Jesus and his love. It is in the Lent season that we can open our hearts, minds, and souls to be renewed in the Spirit of God.
There is old Christian song: “Change My Heart.” Here are three verses to that song to help us be renewed in our lives in Lent season.
“Change my heart oh God Make it ever true Change my heart oh God
May I be like You. Change my heart oh God Make it ever true Change my heart oh God May I be like You. You are the potter I am the clay
Mold me and make me This is what I pray.”
Prayer: “May we in this Lent season change our hearts to know God’s power and Glory.”