Category: With Christ in the Wilderness

Jesus had no clock or calendar in the wilderness. No appointments to keep. No responsibilities to discharge. Nowhere else He had to be. Nothing to do except be present with His Father. Does that sound as good to you as it does to me? Sometimes it seems that our whole world has gone Through the…

We don’t know a lot about Jesus’ days in the wilderness. Only 6 verses mention it (Matthew 4:1-2, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-2) outside of the temptation. All we know is: 40 days and nights, fasting, very hungry, tempted. Apparently, that is all we need to know. The rest was between Jesus and His Father. Jesus…

Yesterday, I wrote at length about a refrigerator that doesn’t function the way I want. I said that it was a simplification for me to just drink tap water. That is not completely true. I am greatly blessed to have clean, available tap water. That is not true in places like Africa, Flint, Michigan or…

One thing Jesus encountered in the wilderness was simplicity. There were no distractions, no complications. Just nature, and God. Nothing else was needed. Nothing else was wanted. ********** Not that life was simple in those days. An agrarian society was at the mercy of nature. Poverty and slavery were rampant. The Jews were suffering under…

The Quakers have a tradition called “Centering,” also known as “Palms up, palms down.” It is similar to the steps I posted on Saturday, consisting of Release, Receive and Rest. PREPARE*Sit comfortably, with your hands resting on your lap. *Gently notice your breathing as you become still. RELEASE YOUR BURDENS*Turn your palms down and allow yourself…

These steps help me settle myself as I prepare to meet with God. I use them to practice solitude, silence and stillness. *FIND A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN MINIMIZE DISTRACTIONS.Silence all TV, radio or online chatter.Don’t sit where you can see waiting chores. Let them wait without guilt. This is your time with God. *RELAX…

On summer mornings, when I would sit outside for my quiet time, I was constantly aware of an underlying hum of traffic on the expressway a mile away. Except on Sundays, when there was no traffic. Everything felt so peaceful on Sundays. Silence and stillness were plentiful in the wilderness, but they are rare commodities…

In the wilderness, Jesus experienced Solitude: “the state or situation of being alone.” Solitude may come to us by choice or by circumstance. Jesus was led into solitude by the Holy Spirit, but throughout His ministry, He voluntarily chose solitude again and again. But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer. Luke 5:16 NLT…