March 15 - Lenten Devotional

"Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to look at... Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who put on fine clothing and live in luxury are in royal palaces. 26 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written, 'See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.'" (Luke 7:24-27)


In the time of the exile and after Israel ceased to be its own nation-state, but it didn't certainly didn't change the political nature of it's religious life - in many ways it increased it. The priestly aristocracy continued to play politics vying for power from Babylon, Greece, and by the time of Jesus - Rome. Scribes and Pharisees made a living - and comfort - by supporting the powerful benefactors both within Israel and from foreign powers.

What I see reading this text is this dichotomy between those "dressed in soft robes" and the prophet - and more than prophet - that is John the Baptist out in the wilderness. And I wonder if those "dressed in soft robes" and living "in luxury.. in royal palaces" are those Jesus see as scribes and Pharisees who have attached themselves to political power for financial benefit.

Presuming for the moment that this is what Jesus means (its likely at least pretty close to the mark) then we look at what it is Jesus says, "did you go into the wilderness to see someone dressed in soft robes?" The answer is a resounding no. But what does this matter? Why is important that John in the "wild man" in the wilderness?

Let us remember where we started this whole journey... with Jesus going into the wilderness to be tempted. Similarly if we went to the beginning of Paul's ministry we would see him go to the wilderness soon after his calling from Jesus. The Hebrew people wandered in the wilderness... Elijah lived in the wilderness... in fact it seems like the wilderness is getting down right over populated in the Bible!!

So what is it about the wilderness?

Here is what I think. I think as we respond to Christ's call to be disciples we are having our character and our lives re-formed by the life of Christ. I think that to begin to do that we have to dis-locate ourselves. We have to move out of our comfort zone. We have to get out from the world we are used to in order to take stock of our lives... to do the "taking the speck in our eyes out" that Jesus talked about a chapter ago. Here in the wilderness we can hear the words of a prophet... not those in soft robes who tell us what we want to hear. Here in the wilderness we can prepare the way in our hearts and lives to let the life of Christ dwell in us.

What did we come to the wilderness to hear?
Are we prepared and preparing for Christ to dwell in us?
Are we willing to set aside financial benefit, power, and comfort to serve Christ?

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God in the wilderness, we have come to hear your word.
We have come in hopes that we will dare to be transformed by your life and your word. Cleanse us in the wilderness and re-form us anew in your spirit. Amen.