The Spirit immediately drove him into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him. Mark 1:12,13

The Season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, February 17. Lent marks the forty days (not counting Sundays) that Jesus spent in the wilderness after his baptism. We have been in this pandemic wilderness since last year’s Lenten season. We missed sharing Easter, Pentecost, Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany in our sanctuary. During this pandemic, I have often thought about our ancestors in faith who spent decades exiled in Assyria and Babylon, far from the Temple in Jerusalem. Separated from what they held dear; what temptations did they face? What stories sustained them? Did they reflect on their ancestor’s forty-year journey in the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land? Did they recall how God provided manna for their hunger and water for their thirst?  Were they tempted to abandon their faith, to lose hope? When they felt their faith slipping away, did they recall how Abraham and Sarah waited and waited for God’s promise to be fulfilled? A miracle was born.

I think of the early Christians who worshipped in secret in the woods and underground in the catacombs. What stories encouraged them in their wilderness of persecution? Did they recall Jesus’ teachings, his healing, his death, and his resurrection? As fear and stress pressed down on them, did they break the bread and share the cup in remembrance of him? How many wilderness experiences have been faced by those who journeyed before us? What of their stories can we tell?

February is Black History month. After over four hundred years of slavery and racial injustice, only in this century have we witnessed the election of an African American President and now Vice President. Our Lenten wilderness will last more than forty days just as our ancestors experienced, but it will come to an end. The Promised Land of equality, liberty, and peace with justice for all beckons us. In the words of the psalmist, “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes in the morning.” (30:5b). In this long night of wilderness, let us be kind to one another and pray to resist abandoning hope. Like all who have journeyed before us, we too will discover that God’s angels surround us. I thank God for each of you, my traveling companions. I look forward to being with you in worship this Sunday on Zoom. Thanks be to God! Yours in Christ, Pastor David

A daily prayer from the NewsletterNewsletter

Whatever happens today, dear Lord, help us remember that you are present. If we find ourselves in the shadows of disappointment or rejection or pain, let us see your comforting light. If we’re in the radiant light of success or acceptance or wholeness, may we acknowledge your providence and grace. Wherever we are, grant us the assurance of your nearness. Amen.