“You are my beloved Son; I take delight in You!” Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. (Mark 1:11-12)
Just after John baptized Jesus in water, the Bible records that the Holy Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness. The words used here are not “encouraged Jesus into the wilderness” or “gave Jesus an option to go into the wilderness”. The word used here is “drove”. To drive is to force, to urge, to push. Jesus did not seem to have a choice here. He had to simply obey. Because the wilderness was a part of God’s plan for Him. He had to face it! It was not an option. Many times, when we are faced with wilderness-like situations in life, we feel uncomfortable and want out soon. We cry out to God asking why. We look for ways to get out ourselves. But the text today clearly shows that even the wilderness is a part of God’s plan for us.
I also love that just before sending Jesus into the wilderness, Jesus witnesses a divine revelation: He saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending to Him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: You are my beloved Son; I take delight in You!” (verses 10-11) God tears open heaven, thereby displaying His mighty power and the Holy Spirit descends to Jesus like a dove. Not like a mighty eagle. But a gentle, peaceful dove! In these verses we see how God is both mighty and powerful yet very gentle and peaceful. This is the very nature of God that we can take comfort in! Even today when we walk in obedience to His Word and as we stay close to Him, God shows of Himself as powerful and mighty enough to “tear open heavens” and gentle enough to commune with us at a very personal level. He is the God of the heavens. But He is also a personal God, in that He seeks to have a relationship with His people.
I also love how God declares over Jesus after a spectacular opening of the heavens: “You are my beloved Son; I take delight in You!” In Jesus, we have this very assurance. We are God’s beloved. Adored. Cherished. Treasured. God takes delight in us. God enjoys our very existence. He admires us. Loves us. Dotes on us. Holds us dear. Approves of us. Is pleased by us. Cherishes us. Takes interest in us. We are not mistakes!! In a world where people wander about with a vacuum within themselves that they try to fill by striving to achieve something for themselves (which again only gives temporary joy and is soon forgotten), with deep emptiness that they cannot explain…we can find hope in this passage: God takes delight in us!
As soon as God declares His love and approval for Jesus, we see that “Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness”! God was not being a sadist here to see Jesus squirm in the uncomfortable wilderness. He knew that a wilderness has to be there and Jesus must walk through it. Because this place is where Jesus becomes less aware of Himself and more aware of the power and sovereignty of God and of His divine providence and supply. In the verses that follow this text, it says “He (Jesus) was in the wilderness 40 days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals and the angels began to serve Hm.” God took Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. Yet in the wilderness, Jesus was able to resist the temptation and stand His ground because of the empowering Holy Spirit that descended to Him. God did not send Jesus into the wilderness alone. Jesus was empowered from on high. Just as Jesus was empowered, so are we now in the midst of our wilderness. Our desert. Wasteland. Where nothing grows. Where there is an endless expanse of nothing. Where there seems to be no help. Where there are only wild animals. Where survival is tested. Where struggles to stay alive and above the waters are real. Where sustainability is hard. Where help is unheard of. An endless expanse of nothing. No life. No help. No support. Nothing but an absolute dismal, bleak situation. If you find yourself in such a place, take heart today. That wilderness is a part of God’s divine plan to grow you. Even though Jesus encountered wild animals in His wilderness, and Satan followed Him around tempting Him for 40 days (not one or two days but continually for 40 days!!), the Bible records that God provided angels to serve Him. In the wilderness human help is impossible. For no one else lives in our personal wilderness. No one else wants to go there with us (if you’ve tried to explain your problems and challenges to people and have found them making excuses to run away from encountering you again because they are overwhelmed listening to you, you know what I am talking about!!). No one else can related to those bleak, dark, trying seasons in our lives. No one else but Jesus. Because He went there Himself. And just as God sustained Jesus by sending Him angels to serve Him, He sustains us with heavenly help. We are not alone in our wilderness. I pray that you take hold of this truth- God walks with you in your wilderness. He sends His angels to meet you at every point of need. Even when you are surrounded by temptations and trials (like the wild animals that Jesus encountered), they will not bring you down. For God is your rock and your fortress. He is with you. He walks with you. Your wilderness is a part of His plan for you. Not just to grow you. But to show you that when everything and everyone fail you, God is with you. That throughout life He will never leave nor forsake you. That He will come to your aid.
I love that right in the middle of His wilderness, Jesus received His mission and purpose. In verse 14 of Mark 1, we read: “Jesus went to Galilee, preaching the good news of God: The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the good news!”
Jesus emerged from the wilderness refreshed and overflowing with His purpose. All the gospels record how after His wilderness, Jesus went out in power healing, delivering, preaching, spreading God’s Word wherever He went. He was powerful. He knew what to say and to whom. He knew where He had to be. He was full of wisdom. Even the sceptics marveled Him. Your wilderness is there to not just grow you and show you how God is with you. It is also there to equip you with power and might. It is also there to show you the direction and purpose that God wants you to walk in.
Take time in your wilderness to humble yourself before God and allow Him to show you His grand purpose and plan for your life. Don’t rush through your wilderness, pleading with Him to get you out. Don’t waste your wilderness. Embrace it. Take heart if you are in a wilderness: God is pleased with you and is delighted with you and is about to mold you for a greater adventure ahead of you!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I want to thank You for counting me worthy to walk through this wilderness I am in the middle of right now. I realize that this too is a part of Your plan for me to grow me and prepare me for the next level season. Strengthen my heart today as I walk through this phase and help me stay close to You as You reveal Your purpose and mission for my life during this season. In Jesus’ Name, amen.