By Ron Harmon, Presiding Bishop

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was famished.

Matthew 4:1–11 invites us to journey with Jesus into the wilderness—a place that can feel both barren and full of possibility. In this stark landscape, where comfort and distraction fall away, Jesus confronts the temptation to abuse resources, power, and relationships. He’s offered an easier path, one that would turn him away from his true calling to restore, heal, and reconcile all of creation. Yet, with missional clarity rooted in God’s self-giving love, he chooses a different way.

The wilderness isn’t just a physical space; it’s also the unexplored terrain within each of us. Lent invites us to set into that interior wilderness, to slow down and simplify, making space to listen deeply for God’s gentle and sometimes disruptive voice.

When we find ourselves in the wilderness, we sometimes encounter both emptiness and promise. There are places inside us that feel barren marked by fear, scarcity, or wounds we avoid. Yet there are also places where hidden seeds of hope wait quietly for light and water to help them grow. This paradox mirrors the world around us: systems that value short-term profit over people exist alongside glimpses of generosity and long-term sustainability. As prophetic people, we’re called to stand in both realities—naming what is broken, while nurturing what can be transformed.

Exploring the wilderness is essential because it opens our hearts to both the desolate and the divine possibilities. When we let go of illusions of control, we discover that life’s deepest joy comes from wholeheartedly participating in the flow of God’s goodness and love. Responding to this generous love brings missional clarity, conviction, and expands our capacity to share generously with others.

Stepping into the wilderness also awakens us to our deep connection with all living things. The same earth that sustained Jesus in his solitude sustains us today—soil, water, air, and the intricate web of life. Our flourishing is tied to the flourishing of all creation. To ignore this truth is to miss God’s vision for mutuality and wholeness. Lent invites us to embrace this covenant of peace, to live in ways that protect and nurture life for all species, knowing that when creation thrives, we thrive too.

From solitude, Jesus emerges ready to share and live the good news. In the same way, when we dare to explore our inner wilderness, we return with renewed vision—committed to building communities where generosity overcomes fear, justice flows like living water, and all creation flourishes together.

Prayer Phrase

“Happy are those who observe justice” (Psalm 106:3).

Healing and Reconciliation

Gather a small mound of stones. Meditate on the stones as symbols of differences and destructive acts that continue to separate and wound the human family. Name and anoint each “stone wound” with a drop of water or scented oil. Offer them to God in a prayer for healing and reconciliation.

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.