Lenten Meditation (3)
The Road Less Traveled
In that famous Lenten text, the Gospels describe Jesus’ ascent to the mountain to be tempted:
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
Tolkien once said that “Shortcuts make for long delays.” Shortcuts are usually seen as avoiding areas/places we don’t wish to encounter or avoiding the longer route. Perhaps it is easier to choose the easy route–the road which demands less commitment or less repentance.
But Lent provides a long and winding road filled with unseemly terrain, which continues for the next thirty-eight days. Nevertheless, we should not understand this journey as torturous. The longer journey is all necessary because our destination is Easter. Thus, in this journey, we will be afforded opportunities to fast on certain occasions; we may serve others more consistently or/and repent with precision rather than generalities.
The purpose of these rituals is not to earn some merit but to learn just how precious are the merits of Jesus. The road to the empty grave is difficult but the only true road to glory. We can’t take shortcuts on this journey. We must walk through the desert places, step on serpents’ heads, and take naps surrounded by wild animals.
On this Lenten Season, we give thanks that our Lord Jesus did not take shortcuts on his journey to Calvary. He did not succumb to the seductions of the devil in the wilderness. He responded to evil with the good word of Moses, and the devil fled.
Lent is a concentrated time to boast on the cross (Gal. 6:14) and to reorient our spiritual direction by avoiding the shortcuts to confession and embracing the road less traveled.
Prayer: O, blessed Lord Jesus, who did fast for 40 days, grant us the vision of our blessed destination as we journey with you this season, and do not cease to give us opportunities to make our calling and election sure through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Hymn of the Day: Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
