Driven or led,

compelled or accompanied,

he entered the desert for forty days,

forty days and forty nights,

praying and fasting,

with the wild animals

he turned his face to God…

+

His stomach rumbled….

Turn the stones to bread,

fresh bread, warm…

surely you can smell it,

the voice taunted him, a whisper at first,

then growing more insistent..

how wonderful that would be,

you need never be hungry again,

you could feed the world, and all would know you

Lord and Messiah…

+

Stand firm, hold fast,

the Spirit countered,

God will sustain you,

do not be afraid,

there’s more to life than bread….

+

there’s more to life than bread he repeated,

and, we cannot live on bread alone

+

for a while it was quiet

days went by,

he grew in stature,

he knew who he was and whose he was…

+

well said the voice,

if you know who you are and whose you are

test it out,

suddenly he was standing on the highest point of the temple

crowds were milling below him…

what a stir there would be

if angels bore him safely to the ground…

he would be heralded,

Messiah and Lord,

the crowds would surely bow in wonder,

the city would be awed to silence,

and the Roman oppressors would quake in their boots….

+

You are not here to be lauded,

the Spirit countered again,

you are here to serve,

to seek the lost,

to heal the broken,

to free the captives…

the blind will se,

the lame will walk,

and ALL will know that

the love of God is FOR THEM!

FOR THEM YOU HAVE COME….

+

I will not test my God he said,

I will not put him to the test,

his voice was firm and strong…

I am his,

and he is mine…

+

He returned to prayer,

again it was quiet,

and days went by

+

The suddenly it was as if he woke from a dream,

he found himself on a mountain top,

this time the tempter stood next to him,

arm thrown around his shoulder,

as if they were friends,

but, the smirk on his face betrayed him

look he said, gesturing to the vista that lay below,

all this can be yours,

these cities and towns,

this empire,

yours to reign over and rule….

+

I am wealth, I am power,

worship me!!!

+

he looked long and hard…

+

Once again the Spirit spoke,

the kin(g)dom of God

is not like the kingdoms of this world,

the kin(g)dom of God,

means freedom for all,

it is ever expanding,

ever including,

in time and place it has no boundaries…

+

In the kin(g)dom of God

the first shall be last,

and the last shall be first,

the little children shall be gathered,

swords will be turned to ploughshares

and the lion will lie down with the lamb…

peace love, joy and hope will be its signs.

and you will show the way…

+

As he looked his vision expanded,

he saw the crowds,

sheep without a shepherd,

and his heart broke, and filled with love for them…

+

I will not worship you! He said to his tempter!

Speaking quietly, but with such power,

that the tempter shuddered and stepped back.

+

I know who I am and whose I am,

my way is the way of the servant.

and I will take a bowl and towel and wash the feet of all

who choose to walk my way..

+

I worship God alone!

+

The tempter was overcome with rage,

for a moment he burned brightly as a flame,

all hot and glowing,

then the Spirits breath extinguished him,

with all his hate and rage,

and he withdrew…

+

The Jesus sighed a deep sigh,

the angels soon surrounded him,

bringing food, water and encouragement…

+

As he stood and left the desert he knew

this ending was only the beginning,

he would walk the path set out for him,

he would seek the lost,

he would heal the broken,

he would free the captives,

the deaf would hear,

the blind would see,

the lame would walk,

and to ALL he would show the love of God,

and none would be excluded…

+

The Spirit was in him,

flowing through him,

and he was not alone…