First, I lost the use of my laptop - hence no messages for several days.
Then, my back has become twisted, as some of you noted on Sunday. Many thanks for your prayers and concerns.
And now it is Ash Wednesday, when we recall the start of Jesus' 40 days of testing in the wilderness. 'The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness, where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him.' (Mark 1.12-13)
Imagining what Jesus went through is very testing in itself, as we have little grasp of what even 2 or 3 days of total solitude might be like. Interestingly, Mark says nothing of his fasting, nor of the specifics of his particular temptations. The parallel between Jesus' experience and the people of Israel in Moses' time, journeying through the wilderness, and being tested for much of that time, is very marked. They failed, but Jesus was faithful and true.
In what ways are we tested? Many & various, I would guess.
And what might we learn through the process? That all depends on how we respond. St. Paul had some straight talking with his Corinthian friends, reminding them there was no excuse for failing in our Christian living, because of the faithfulness of God. 'The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.' (1 Corinthians 10.13)
So let us learn to trust the lord, one day at a time, and find he brings us through.
Best wishes,
Richard
Check out the Tearfund Carbon Fast materials -
http://www.tearfund.org/en/get_involved/campaign/campaign_updates/campaignnews/cc_201111_carbon_fast_2012/
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