(Source from The Word Among Us – Year B)

The kingdom of God is at hand. (Mark 1:15)

Can you imagine the excitement that Jesus must have generated as he began healing people, performing works of wonder, and preaching the good news of the kingdom? Can you picture the hope and expectation evident in the faces of the people who flocked to him? Maybe the time really had been “fulfilled.” Maybe the kingdom really was “at hand” (Mark 1:15).

It certainly was a dramatic way for Jesus to begin his ministry. But today, on the First Sunday of Lent, the Lord reminds us that this exciting new beginning came at the end of something not quite so exciting. Just before he burst on the scene, Jesus had endured a grueling forty-day fast and a host of demonic temptations.

This sequence of events wasn’t just a coincidence. It was that very fast that helped launch the new kingdom Jesus was announcing. By staying faithful to his Father throughout this ordeal, Jesus began his work of disarming the devil. As the first man who didn’t bend to temptation, he reversed the sin of Adam and opened a path for us to follow. Beginning with his time in the wilderness, Jesus demonstrated that his kingdom was indeed at hand—and that the devil’s reign was coming to a decisive end.

As your own Lenten journey unfolds this year, keep the story of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness close to your heart. Especially when life gets hard or temptations arise, remind yourself that every desert experience can result in new life as you try your best to stay faithful to the Lord. Even if you fall, remember that you can stand up again and keep moving forward because of Jesus’ triumph over the devil. Sin no longer has the final word in your life; Jesus, your Redeemer, does!

“Jesus, I’m ready to enter the desert this Lent. I trust in your promise to walk with me and bring me into your kingdom!”