Mark 1:12 – 13
12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days, being temptedby Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.
One of the distinctive characteristics about Christianity is that we follow a personal God. A God who knows us, loves us and seeks a relationship with us. As we read this passage, we are reminded of something incredible. We have a God who doesn’t just know about our suffering and temptations but can empathise with us in them because Jesus who was fully God and fully man also went through these things. Jesus came down, walked the Earth with us and suffered not only with us but also for us. Even more amazing is that he endured the suffering and the temptations without sinning. He was perfect, he remained faithful to God and His will.
How was he able to do this? He was assured by the goodness of God’s love. He knew that the suffering and temptation he faced on Earth would be for the redemption of man and ultimately, for the glory of God. Let us be comforted by knowing that we do not go through suffering and temptation alone. We have a God we can turn to in all situations, a God who can empathise with us and a God who has gone before us and is with us through all things.
Natalie Lather – Carina Campus
