First Sunday in Lent – Sunday, 21st February 2021

This Sunday is the first Sunday of Lent.  The Bible passage is the account in Mark’s Gospel of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness.  In our world, we generally regard temptation as a bad thing.  Temptation is viewed as something that Satan uses to make us stumble and fall before we become wracked with a sense of guilt and inadequacy.  However, it is pertinent to note, according to Mark’s Gospel that it was the Holy Spirit that sent Jesus out into the wilderness to be tempted.  Why?  One simple answer is that for God, temptations are not sent to make us fall but rather to strengthen us.  Temptations are not meant for our ruin but for our good.  In some translations of the Bible, the word temptation is replaced by the word testing.  While we do not like the pressure of tests, we do acknowledge that by being tested we emerge a better person.  In a physical test, we emerge a better athlete and in mental tests, we emerge a more knowledgeable scholar.  It is the same when God allows Satan to tempt us.  By the power of the Holy Spirit, we have the opportunity to emerge a more spiritual person and a better warrior for God.  Remember, God does not want us to lead easy contented lives as much as purposeful lives in which we continually grow in character.  As we journey through Lent, let us rejoice in all the temptations that face us and see them as a way of deepening our relationship with God.  In addition, if we do stumble and fall, let us just pick ourselves up, seek forgiveness, resume the fight and continue the journey.