Into the Wilderness, pt. 1—A Sacred Pathway

Joel 2:12 NIV
“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

“Without great solitude no serious work is possible.” — Pablo Picasso

“Be alone — that is the secret of invention: be alone, that is when ideas are born.” —Nikola Tesla

Matthew 3:16-4:1 NIV
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

ἔρημον Erēmos:
Wilderness, Deserted place, Desolate place, Solitary place, Quiet place, Lonely place

The Wilderness is not a place of , it is a place of .

Christ-likeness comes through a lifestyle.

Mark 1:35-38 NIV
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”

Mark 6:30-32 NIV
The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” 32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

The more and Jesus became, the more time he spent in wilderness .

“There is a difference, I think, a world of difference between isolation and solitude. They may contain similar characteristics, but in reality they are worlds apart. Solitude is a chosen separation for refining your soul. Isolation is what you crave when you neglect the first.” – Wayne Cordeiro

“We have to fashion our own desert where we can withdraw every day, shake off our compulsions, and dwell in the gentle healing presence of our Lord.  Without such a desert we will lose our own soul while preaching the gospel to others.  But with such a spiritual abode, we will become increasingly conformed to him in whose Name we minister.” — Henri Nouwen

Fashioning Your Own Wilderness—

1. Acknowledge your , , and .

Nature — Appreciating the beauty of God’s creation.
Worship — Celebrating God’s goodness with thanks and praise.
Learning — Gaining insights about God and life with him.
Tradition — Following time-honored spiritual traditions and practices.
Fasting — Abstaining from comforts to make more space for God.
Sensation — Experiencing God with your physical senses or imagination.
Quiet Prayer — Sitting with God in silence, praying quietly.
Vocal Prayer — Praying out loud, such as in lament, intercession.

Question for Reflection: What 3 or 4 of these approaches comes more naturally to me?

2. Smaller are better than grand .

3. Focus on , not .

4. Get around a strong to wilderness with.

“When you press the pause button on a computer, it stops. But when you press the pause button on a human being, it starts. It starts to reflect, to rethink, to reimagine. “— Dov Siedman

Answer Key: weakness, strength, wilderness, solitude, personality, season, life, stage, steps, gestures, practice, performance, community