What Lies in the Desert?

Lent is a season for acknowledging our shortcomings, for meeting the little voices which tell us that it’s ok to deviate from the “straight & narrow”. Not only do we meet and identify them, we’re supposed to repent–turn it around–and get out of the wilderness. Readings for this first weekend tell the story of Sinfulness and the Voice of Evil which always seems present. You and I usually deal with the guy in the red union suit and pitchfork. but the presence of Evil is insideous: We almost never recognize it until it rears its ugly head. Again.

The reading from GENESIS 3:1-7 tells of God’s Perfection sullied by human wants. “Some have argued that the knowledge of ‘good & evil’ here is not a matter of ethical discernment. It is the desire to make OURSELVES the arbiters of good and evil, assuming for ourselves the role of God.” (Allen C. McWeen Jr., in FEASTING on the WORD, A 2:28) Now having developed ETHICS, humanity has also realized DEATH. The serpent lied when it told Eve that she would not die…

ROMANS 5:12-19 continues Paul’s presentation of Jesus being the Christ, God Himself. If so, then God has extended Grace for all despite our moral judgments of who’s in and who’s out.

MATTHEW 4:1-11 asks us “What’s YOUR famine?” Just when Jesus has been baptized and has seen the Holy Spirit, he finds hiimself in the wilderness for 40 days, more than you can count on your fingers and toes twice. Isn’t that the way? When we’re full of the Spirit, the famine and temptations are stronger? Jesus was tempted to be relevant: making bread for all the world from the stones; to be spectacular: jumping from the peak of the Temple, for all to see his divinity; to be powerful, to have all the kingdoms on earth affirm his leadership. (Henri Nouwen) Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? At least by our standards… Then Jesus got rid of the Voices of Evil–for a time–with his knowledge of Scripture.

So what voices (vices?) have you heard in your wilderness? They vary from you to me, but they still have bite. The Good News is that they can be answered by knowing God. Others have been here before, even the Lord. It’s tempting, isn’t it??

In the process of unfolding, Horace Brown King

Each Tuesday we explore scrioptures assigned to the upcoming weekend by the Revised Common Lectionary. C’mon along, and bring a friend! at horacebrownking.com