The Journey

Day 1 Led by the Spirit

As Jesus walked further into the wilderness, his mind had more questions than answers. He knew he was doing the right thing, but that didn’t mean he understood everything that was happening. He knew that the Father was dealing with him and he knew within his spirit that he was being guided, but that didn’t stop the questions that seemingly everyone had been asking him. How could he explain to others what he himself didn’t fully understand? How could he explain that he had to come into the wilderness without any provisions, when all those around him either wanted to celebrate with him, or tell him he should be responsible and go back home and back to work? How do you describe in favorable terms, that which most people conceive of as not only unfavorable, but almost reprehensible? As a good Jewish man, fasting was no stranger to him as he had practiced it often. But this, to put it simply, this was totally different. To willing offer up one of the basic needs of life, food, not just for a meal or a day, but for forty days; that was something else. It went far beyond what a rational man would ever come up with for himself. He could hear the scoffers: “What kind of lunatic are you? Have you lost your senses?” If it had not been for the fact that he knew that he was being led by the Spirit, he would have never voluntarily come here.

“Led by the Spirit”, how different that sounded here on Earth then it had in Heaven. Just as he knew that he was one with the Father, he also knew that he was one with the Spirit. Though they were 3 separate personalities, they were one in nature and being. In Heaven they had always been united, together and whole. But here, going through this testing in this wilderness, he had never felt more alone. Yet even as he thought it, he knew that it wasn’t true: He wasn’t really alone. For one thing, the very Spirit that had led him here was still with him, guiding him and revealing things to him. Though it wasn’t like it had been in Heaven, as a man he felt the love and fellowship that comes from walking with God, and His Spirit.

Then there were God’s messengers, the Angels of Heaven. Though he couldn’t see them, he knew that the Father had sent his angels to watch over him. Back home in Heaven, he had known each one by name. But here it was all different. He couldn’t tell if there was just one or an entire legion of Angels around him, but he knew the Father never left his children alone. He thought of those he had been closest to, and wondered if they were the ones here. But he knew that it really didn’t matter. Every single one of them had been created by God and had stood the test of loyalty when Lucifer had led his revolt in Heaven. Every single one of them was more than capable to do the tasks assigned to them. Wow, just that thought alone gave him comfort and a sense of security. He must remember to tell others that they too would never walk alone, not as long as they walked with the Father.

He thought of Lucifer again. Lucifer had been an angel of high standing. Once he had been called a friend. Now he was fallen and cast out of Heaven. Jesus hadn’t seen him in the wilderness yet, but he was sure that Lucifer wouldn’t pass up a chance to bring hurt, shame, or despair to either himself or the host of heaven. How sad and heartbreaking it had been to watch a full third of Heaven turn its back on the Glory of the Father, as they aligned their selves with Lucifer. Lucifer, now called Satan or the Devil, hadn’t stopped gloating yet. He loved to brag that he could lure anyone away from God. While all of Heaven knew that wasn’t true, Satan would never admit it, and because of that he kept trying. Jesus knew that some people were trying to teach that the devil wasn’t real, but He knew that they were only fooling themselves. All of Heaven could attest to that, but Heaven also knew that Satan’s power is limited.

As Jesus looked around, he saw that it was getting late, and decided that he ought to find a place where he could bed down for the night. As he thought of the soon coming night a slight smile revealed itself on his face. The God part of him remembered when they had first created night and day. The earth had been without order and distinction, and darkness covered the deep waters until they had created light. Pleased with the light they brought order into the world by separating light and darkness. The separation became the method through which they could distinguish time. The smile on Jesus’ face grew as he realized that He, who had been there at the beginning of time, was now dwelling in a time and place where he now measured time with the passing of night. It then dawned on him, that he, who was never bound by light or dark was now looking for a place of shelter because of the night.