The First Sunday of Lent: Purify
Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness reveals the real struggles we face in our efforts to live holy lives. Yet, it also shines light and hope into our sinfulness and grappling with suffering in our life. I was struck by the fact that Jesus was “led by the Spirit” to the wilderness where He was tempted and that in this time of temptation Jesus was “full of the Holy Spirit”. What great encouragement we have that amidst our struggles and temptations, God remains close. As in the psalm for Sunday, “When he calls I shall answer: ‘I am with you,’ I will save him in distress and give him glory.” (Ps 91:15). As we enter this season of fasting, let us be encouraged by God’s presence with us and open our hearts to His invitation to let His presence purify our hearts.
Rooted in our Identity
The three temptations Jesus faced boil down to an attack on one thing – his identity and authority. The devil offers bodily satisfaction, human status and protection from harm – as if Jesus could not have procured these for Himself. None of the offers were intrinsically evil. So what’s the problem? Jesus recognised the dark underlying implications of the temptations. He saw what was truly behind each of these good things on offer: a forgoing of the most important good. Jesus knew that He doesn’t need to take the devil’s offer in order to receive good things and that His identity as the Son of God is not an ‘if’. In the same way, our pursuit of the many good things in life can quickly become restless, insignificant tail-chasing if we do not let our priorities become ordered according to their true importance. Jesus’ security in His identity reveals a gift and the secret weapon He gives us: adoption into God’s family. “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11) God our Father gives us the greatest gifts so we no longer need to pursue other things.
Returning our Gaze
However, our trials and temptations do not fade away simply because we know this. I continue to face the uncertainty of the nearing end date of my time in university, the daily temptation to waste away my time on social media, the trial of sinful patterns of self-centeredness which hurt the people around me. But my life can never change if I let my worries stay the same. When my questions shift from “How can I do this?” or “How can I gain this?” to “Where are you amidst all this Lord?” and “How do I turn to you?”, then the Spirit is given space to begin purifying my heart from its longings to overcome and subdue in order to be overcome and subdued by God's abundance.
As we enter into the season of Lent then, and before we start habit stacking in fasting, almsgiving and prayer, may we first reflect on the Lord’s presence in our life. To recognise the patterns of sin and brokenness that prevent us from truly drawing close to God and which close off our hearts from the abundance of good things He wants to give us. Let us let God be God. He makes all things holy simply by His presence and purifies us through His touch. Made holy, we continue to turn to Him and order our lives towards Him!
Reflection Activity
Choose one of the images to pray with. Why did it speak to you? What is God saying to you?
If these images don’t help you to sit with God, you can also ponder these verses:
Romans 8:14: For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
Romans 8:15-17: When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
Hebrews 2:18: Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.
Reflection Questions
How is God inviting you to be purified through Him in this season?
Is there anything you are being invited to let go of in order to draw close and cling to Him?
What temptations and struggles prevent me from being purified in God’s love?
Invitation of the Week
Make one act of love or sacrifice as a way of turning to God. It can be doing a chore you dislike, helping out a friend though you are already short on time, or even spending time with a family member you struggle to love. Let God guide you and mould your heart to His through this!
Illustration Credits:
2. ‘Humble Servant’ by Nena Williams (2024)
3. ‘Landscape with The Temptation of Christ’ by Joos De Momper (1600s)
4. ‘The grace of Christ pours upon others through us, especially through our wounds, when our lives are entirely his.’ by Elizabeth Wang (2005)