Lent
February 13, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 4:1-13

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone.”’ –Luke 4:1-3

I can crave food even while I am eating. At that point of understanding, I realized it was not food in general that I wanted. Being the good social worker that I am, I immediately assumed that I was projecting other needs onto food and those needs were not being met. I have since discovered that my biology is as complex as my psychology and my cravings may be my body saying I am not getting some nutrient that I need. It is also possible that my psychological needs are what is draining my nutrient needs. I will leave that to the scientist. Our scripture today, however, substantiates human need is greater than what we eat. Our quest for wholeness must encompass our total being, including the spiritual component.

Jesus’ vision quest into the wilderness was the point in his life when he searched for wholeness in a world filled with temptation and empty promises. We still live in that kind of world today. Actually, we may be bombarded with even more than our first century counterparts because of our advances in technology and communications. Wholeness is a fragile gift that only God can provide.

As we enter this Lenten season, we are called to our own vision quest to seek our own wholeness and to reclaim our gift of grace given by God in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6). Let it be so.

Prayer: Lord, we do hunger and thirst for righteousness, show us the path to it. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.