Out to the Wilderness

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,

“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way;
the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.'”

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him. Mark 1:1-13

Out to the Wilderness

For some the noises bring fear
the forest singing and sighing
fearful of all that is hidden
aching to run from heart's darkness.

We seek the city lights and noise
to cover our rattling weary bones
we seek to hide in plain sight
in order to avoid the real pain.

Loving costs dearly and fully
we avoid the wind that will reveal
all our hurts, temptations and fears
we pretend that all is perfect inside.

Yet out to the wilderness we do go
driven by the Spirit which calls
all of us to kneel in our darkness
wrapped in the chill of the night.

We are driven, called and sought
our Creator invites us to come
beyond our fears and fragile hearts
to a place where love can remake us.