Discover Who We Really Are: Unveiling the True Self
Kris Judd of Des Moines, IA, USA
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.'” -Luke 4:1-4
A time to wander in the wilderness and wrestle with the deeper questions will be offered to each of us at least once in our life. Such a time has been and will continue to be given to the church as we engage in the ongoing discernment of who we are called to be as a people. It is an invitation, not a burden. An uncomfortable opportunity to be received as gift.
As President Veazey shared in his 2017 address to the church, “It is ironic and intriguing to me that our current challenges are providing added incentive for us to ask essential questions about the essence of the gospel and the church. These challenges-financial and cultural-have pushed us into a kind of spiritual labor, and the future church already is being born.” New things are born and tested in desert times.
The wilderness the Spirit led Jesus into for forty days offered him significant time for reflection and prayer and little distraction from his purpose and calling. It was a time of preparation for the challenges ahead. The scriptural image of Jesus’ temptation in the desert comes right before he enters the synagogue to unroll the scroll of Isaiah and boldly proclaim his mission.
The author of Luke 4 informs us that during this time in the wilderness, alone and famished, the devil tempted Jesus to denounce his true identity and serve himself and his own needs. The 40 days had underlined for him who he truly was, enabling him to resist the “if you are the son of God” challenge with truth and rebuke the illusions and untruths he had been offered.
Lent offers each of us 40 days to wrestle with who we truly are-the good and not so good. We are invited to examine the ways our very selves reflect the Divine as well as ways in which our actions and motives are not aligned with Christ. We are invited to return to a sense of our true identity-a beloved child of God-and strip away the illusions and untruths we have been tempted to believe about ourselves and others. It is a time to ask ourselves essential questions: Who am I, really? How am I called to live out my discipleship? Will I allow transformation to occur within me?
Take time away from the distractions the world offers, even for a few moments each day. Examine prayerfully how your life and very being are reflecting the message of Jesus. How willing are you to follow the same Spirit that led Jesus into the wilderness to move into your own time of reflection, prayer, and hunger? How will you move closer to this Jesus? What will be born out of your wilderness experience?
Do not fear to go where the Spirit leads you to go.
Prayer Phrase
Are we moving toward Jesus, the peaceful One?
Lenten Spiritual Practices
Moving Toward the Peaceful One
As Jesus was nearing the final days of his life, he wept over the city and proclaimed, “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace” (Luke 19:41-42).What are the things that make for peace in our lives, communities, and around the world? During the Lenten season, spend time in silent refection or journaling each day to notice: Am I moving toward Jesus, the peaceful One? Pay attention to your attitudes, actions, and relationships this day. When did you most embody the peaceful One in your daily living? When were your thoughts or actions contrary to the peace of Jesus Christ? How might Jesus, the peaceful One, who is always near to you, be inviting you to draw nearer to him through your daily living?
Fasting and Giving-$40 in 40 Days
A Lenten fast gives us an opportunity to make space in our lives so that God can live in and through us. It’s a time to evaluate what we hunger for most and what we consume. This year, we’ve been invited to tithe as a spiritual practice by setting aside $40 during the 40 days of Lent. If you are participating, pay attention today to the dollar you have given. What might you have done with that dollar otherwise? How does Lenten generosity invite you to reflect on what is “enough” in your life? Who might you invite to join you in this practice? How might your gift be magnified by the many others responding to the same call?
You can make your $40 offering anytime during the Lenten season online or through your offering envelope for Worldwide Mission Tithes.
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.
