And the Spirit immediately drove him out in to the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him. Mark 9:12–13
I have quickly become a fan of the British folk rock band Mumford & Sons. One of my favorites songs is “Timshel.” There are debates about what the song means, but it clearly deals with situations, choices, and being alone. A few of the lines are “Death is at your doorstep, and it will steal your innocence but it will not steal your substance. You are not alone in this…” This song comes to mind particularly during the season of Lent. Our Lenten journey is one of self-examination. It is one of exploring our hearts and looking at the choices we make. During Lent, we find ourselves in the desert places of our lives, standing in the shadows facing things we have dared not face before. Jesus may have found himself in this very same place in the wilderness. I wonder what was on his mind? Was he hungry? Was he thirsty? Did he feel alone? There is a line in Mark 13 that can be easily passed over. It says, “and the angels waited on him.” Do we forget that we are not alone?
Through all of the struggles of being in the wilderness, the harshness of hunger and the thirst that could not be quenched, we are reminded that Jesus was not alone. In our journey through Lent, as we face the choices we make and examine our hearts, I want to challenge those on the journey to be mindful that we are not alone in this. Being mindful of that hope and promise that God is always with us can carry us through the days when we cannot see two steps ahead of us. As we practice the presence of God, may our mindfulness lead to an experience of God that reminds us that we are not alone in this journey. God’s grace will lead, guide, and nourish us, and those around us become awaiting angels.
Prayer: God, remind us that we are not alone in this journey. You go before us, beside, with us, and behind us. You put others in our lives to walk on the journey with us. Help us to experience the presence of angels who await us. Amen.
Rev. Jimmy Sherrod
Metropolitan Memorial & Crossroads
Lenten Devotional 