November 14, 2006
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Meditation
It's when you read a small passage of Scripture over and over again and let the words hang in the air until they climb into your heart and nestle down in there. It's when you read the words slowly, very slowly, pausing after every word, waiting for the Spirit to speak with a resonating boom or a gentle whisper. You come with expectation; you listen with anticipation. Your heart is on the table. You are hungering to be changed.
This morning's meditation was on Mark 1:9-13. I was struck by the short phrase, "At once."
In context, it goes like this, "'You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.' At once the Spirit sent Him out into the desert...being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals..."
Realization: Just because I am loved by God does not mean that I am shielded from all bad things. After an amazing affirmation of love, "at once", Jesus was sent to the desert, to temptations and to wild animals. Just because I am sent out into the wild does not mean God does not love me. Many would agree that Jesus' desert time was necessary for His development as a person; similarly, I need my own desert time for maturation. It doesn't mean God has abandoned me. It means, still, that He loves me. The end of the quoted verse above says, "and angels attended him." Yes, Jesus was sent to the desert, but He was not alone. Truly, being sent into the desert does not mean that God does not go with me there in love.
Comments (2)
what's a main take-away?
i guess one 'take-away' is that it's easy for me to think that when i am sent out into the 'desert' it's because i've done something wrong. but it's clear here that Jesus did nothing wrong. in fact, God just said "i love you; i'm pleased with you" and then sent him out to the desert. i think that is an amazing reassurance that God is always with us - whether we are able to tell or not.