The season of Lent reflects on the time Jesus went out into the desert for 40 days and 40 nights (Matthew 4:1-11). The season invites us to join him there.
I wrote an acrostic for the word LENT about this invitation to go out to where He is.
Lead us* into the wilderness
Expectant that we might meet You there
Noticing the world - - - - - in all the ways she hurts
Take us on a journey to the cross and so bring us back to love
*us is ALL of us. We are all connected to one another.
We picture vast deserts when we think wilderness, and perhaps the wilderness is just that but maybe the wilderness is more full of life than we imagine. The wilderness isn’t empty. The wilderness is WILD. It is expansive and it is teaming with life and there is more to be seen than we will ever see and there is wonder in all of it. Even in the desert there is life that is waiting patiently for the rains and then it bursts into glorious blooms.
The photograph is a path leading into a forest, it is just steps from my front door and a tantalizing invitation to enter in. It too is wilderness because it is wild.
Let us go out into the wilderness and meet Jesus there. I believe he is ready to meet us.
Take a minute, if you can, to stand among the trees, take in the fresh air they generously give us and breathe with them, today let that breath be your prayer.
Breathe in - I breathe in life
Breathe out - as I meet You here