Angels in the Wilderness

Today's readings: Psalms 5, 145; Isaiah 40:12-24; Ephesians 1:1-1; Mark 1:1-13

"Jesus in the Wilderness" Charles de la Fosse, 1690

Imagine that on your first day of work the boss introduces you to everyone by proclaiming how proud he is of you. Immediately, as a reward for whatever it was you did that earned such enthusiasm, you are assigned an extended gig at a remote branch to address a disgruntled former employee who now runs the competition. Per the opening chapter of Mark, that pretty much summed up Jesus' first day on the job: John baptized him, God announced his favor from the heavens, "and the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness" where he spent forty days grappling with Satan.

That's the way life goes though. Just as we finally screw up the courage to make that change, or earn that promotion, or have that baby, we discover it comes with a new set of problems we weren't anticipating. We may start asking if we weren't better off before we got what we wanted. It doesn't seem fair that doing everything right leads to more work. But if Jesus - in whom God was "well pleased" (Mark 1:11) - was sent to suffer temptation in the wilderness, maybe we need to realign our expectations and definition of success.

Doing good work - especially doing God's work - does not guarantee ease. To the contrary, the Jews as God's chosen people suffered tremendously, and Christian history is full of martyrs. Our own trials vary in difficulty, but all are real. Some say trials are tests from God, but God does not act to push us away. Accepting accountability - to our boss, our children, ourselves or God - enlightens us to the brokenness in the world, and how much of it we are called to heal, prevent or bear witness to. The Spirit didn't send Jesus into the wilderness alone: angels waited on him (Mark 1:13). We also have support available - our fellow Christians who share the same accountability. When times are tough, we remind each other why what we do is important. We help carry each other's burdens. We listen. We cry. We are angels to each other.

Faith doesn't bring on suffering. It does put us in touch with the suffering that already exists. We can count on our God - and our angels - to see us through it.

Evening readings: Psalms 82, 29