40 days and 40 nights thou
wast fasting in the wild…tempted and yet undefiled. So goes the 19th century
hymn [#150 in "The Hymnal 1982" of the US Episcopal Church]. And
so our time of 40 days and 40 nights has begun again; shall we be “undefiled”
at its conclusion? Temptation is a human foible and even with the best of
intentions, we all – more often than we’d like to admit – fall prey to the
allure of some thing or another, sometimes to especially unhealthy levels and
to our own or others' detriment, or both. Yet isn’t our situation different?
Jesus was tempted by the Devil, after all, with promises of
earthly power and glory and authority. But do we dismiss ourselves from this
self-examination because of our mere mortal-hood? It would seem that as he was
"full of the Holy Spirit," it must have been much easier for him. Yet
this preparation for his imminent ministry, this long retreat, fully human as
he was, was no picnic in the park. Sure, we might not be promised power
and authority by a supernatural being, or spend all that time alone in a
wilderness, but the pull to just turn toward the glitter of all that beckons,
those idols we create for ourselves, can be very difficult to resist in our
brief human journey. And that brings its own kind of wilderness and at least a
touch of defilement.
The readings for
this week give chapter and verse on how God hears us, shelters us, and saves us
if we but turn toward the Lord our God. The literal translation of
"repent" from the Greek is, at its basic level, to turn away from sin
by turning toward God. These 40 days bring us the
time to reconcile our earthly wants with our eternal souls. We are to clean out
our spiritual closets and blow the dust off hidden temptations, overindulgence,
and the shallow distractions that distance us from Christ. It's time to turn
the light on what we hide from ourselves and re-awaken to the call of
salvation. I bid myself and each of us, over these weeks, to worry less about what to
“give up” and concentrate more on what to “take on” to discover what will turn
us back toward our Risen Lord and Savior. Keep the word near you, on
your lips and in your heart as Paul tells us. Prayer is a starting
place, even if only asking “WHAT, HOW, WHERE DO I START?”
Jesus gave 40 days and 40 nights to his spiritual
growth and strength for the beginning of his earthly ministry. Can you give 40
minutes over 6 weeks? How about 10 minutes 4 times a day? How about 4 minutes
10 times a day? How much time is spent on the idols of our daily living, not
counting work time, there are our mobile phones, tablets, social media, online
shopping, video games, flipping channels on the tv remote, etc. Take 10 or 4,
in a quiet space – the morning or evening shower, that time
looking through the refrigerator for something – wherever and whatever. Take
on a definitive, intentional, conscious turn toward the Lord by thought and by
action, by desire, and most importantly by faith. For one believes with
the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is
saved. What could be more important for those of us who call ourselves
Christian? Here's a start, copy this one line onto post-it notes for the
laptop, the refrigerator door, the coffee pot, or the car dashboard for moments
at stop lights. Ask Alexa to read it to you at regular intervals, and take a
long slow deep breath every time you see it, hear it, or say it out loud; this
one line from this week’s Psalm: You are my refuge and my stronghold,
my God in whom I put my trust. Got 40, 10, or 4 minutes? We can
always make time for the things we really want to do. We can easily blow 40
minutes scrolling Facebook, playing Wordle, or watching funny reels. It’s time
to be more tempted to turn toward the One Who is calling: Give
in to THIS.
LET
US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
Leader: ~ Almighty God,
Most High, as we enter the pilgrim way of Lent once more, let these 40 days and
40 nights fill us with unceasing prayer. Strengthen our souls to dismiss the
enticements of this earthly life, and to proclaim, with faith on our lips and
in our hearts, that Christ Jesus is our Risen Lord.
Jesus, Son
of God
RESPONSE:
Deliver us
from idol temptation
~
Almighty God, Most High, in this blessed season, grant us the fortitude of
Christ in the wilderness to stand before the ruling powers in our world, in our
nation, and in our local communities, to demand for all people the release from
affliction, injustice, inhumanity, and oppression imposed by the evils of greed
and corruption. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
Jesus, Son of God
Deliver
us from idol temptation
~
Almighty God, Most High, shelter in Your love all who suffer in body,
mind, or spirit, and encourage all who give them help. We now join our hearts
to pray for those in need: add your own petitions
Jesus, Son of God
Deliver
us from idol temptation
~
Almighty God, Most High, ease the hearts of all who grieve, as those we
love in our living memory, are now risen in the joy and glory of eternal
life. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
Jesus, Son of God
Deliver
us from idol temptation
~
Almighty God, Most High, we pause in this moment to offer You
our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials,
aloud or silently… add your own petitions
Jesus, Son of God
Deliver
us from idol temptation
~
Almighty God, Most High, may all who are chosen to bring us Your Word and
Sacraments, in times of sorrow and times of gladness, abide under Your Shadow,
bound to you in love. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
Jesus, Son of God
Deliver
us from idol temptation
The
Celebrant adds: O
Lord, our God, rescue us from the wilderness of our own making, turn us from
fear to faith, and from complacency to action. Help us keep the Word of our
Redeemer near, on our lips and in our hearts, as we call upon Your name and
serve only You. We ask through Jesus, the Christ of our Salvation; and the Holy
Spirit, Divine Breath of our Souls; who together with You are One God, now and
forever. Amen.
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