Sermon - 3/6/22

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Religion

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There is an increasing focus in our culture on what some call mindfulness. Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are, aware of what we are doing, and not be overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. It really is a form of self-discipline. I think mindfulness requires an element of intentionality in which one is directly focused on some object or situation. As we begin this Lenten season, we are invited into a forty-day journey of mindfulness, to be mindful of where Jesus is leading us, and to embrace an intentional way of living and being in this world. If given a choice, most of us are not going to be intentional about choosing a path in life that is filled with difficulty. However, I must say that spiritual depth and growth happen as we mindfully respond to the trials, troubles, temptations, testing, and fear that arise in life. For many of us, it is in those times of challenge that we truly learn dependence on God. In such times we find that God graciously provides for all our needs in all of life’s seasons. As we begin this forty-day Lenten journey and meet up with Jesus this morning, we find him in the wilderness. We find he has been “led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.” Note that the Spirit does not just drop Jesus off in the wilderness to fend for himself. He was led by the Spirit. The Spirit continues to abide with him and enable him to grow stronger through this season. Jesus is in the wilderness, experiencing what will be a challenging forty days in a place that would seem barren and empty. And, in that place, the devil appears and tempts Jesus. Now, I can imagine Jesus is in a state, both mentally and physically, of utter desperation. He hasn’t eaten for weeks. He is likely hallucinating. He is probably thirsty and tired, and feeling empty and powerless. He might even feel as though h

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