Me Too
At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.
Mark 1:12-13
Dear Friends,
Over 38 years ago during the dark-early morning hours, a 12 year old boy named Johnny Gosch was kidnapped while he delivered papers on his paper route. After customers called the newspaper to complain about the late delivery, someone was sent to the route and discovered only Johnny’s wagon with papers still in it. This case remains open but considered cold. They’ve never found him.
Noreen, his mother, felt helpless, out of control, totally undone as the police seemed sluggish about declaring a kidnapping. They figured he was a run-a-way, even as his mother cried out differently.
No one knows what it’s like to have your child abducted. Most parents have imagined it, fearfully allowing their child to walk to a friend’s house on their own. But none of us actually know what it’s like. Johnny was one of the first faces to appear on a milk carton and Noreen was interviewed by different news stations and TV appearances. Both of their faces became recognizable.
Later, when another child had been abducted and the child’s parents were being interviewed by police and newscasters, these parents would state facts about their child: what they wore, birthmarks, mannerisms. But when they saw Noreen walk into the room they were in, they would melt with relief because someone there knew exactly what they were going through. She would know everything.
I wonder if the Spirit sent Jesus into the wilderness for a specific reason. The wilderness wasn’t just 40 days for Jesus—it was his entire ministry. In his full humanity, Jesus was rejected, ostracized, taunted, backstabbed, was lonely and isolated, experienced loss and death of friends, wondered where he would sleep at night and how to make ends meet, he suffered and experienced horrific torture, he was murdered on a Roman cross. The divinity of Jesus didn’t protect him from the wilderness. The humanity of Jesus, the humanness of Jesus allowed him to feel everything.
Friends, the Lenten wilderness is formational and has the capacity to strip the excess away so you can see your identity and vocation that much clearer. But the wilderness is also disruptive, lonely and isolating and I believe Jesus went through it to say, me too. I understand. I know what this is like. I know its hard and you’re confused and disoriented right now.
I’m not sure if Jesus will rescue or remove you from the wilderness loss of right now. But I do know that Jesus is with you in it and knows how hard it is.
With (love),
Bethany