Wilderness Time: A Time for Learning
Mark 1:12-15
Rev. Sandy Johnson
February 14, 2016
Click here to watch the sermon video
This morning we begin our Lenten journey toward the empty tomb of Easter morning. During our time together over the next six weeks we will be journeying through the wilderness. Pausing each week to learn one of the vital pieces of wilderness experiences that will prepare us and draw us near to Christ and the celebration of the resurrection. But we aren’t there yet. Before we can celebrate, we must spend time in the wilderness.
Prayer: Gracious God, as we embark on this wilderness experience of Lent, we pray that you would open our hearts, minds and spirits so that we are open to your lesson today. Grant us wisdom as we hear these words. Amen.
When I was in college at Oregon State University, I took a class called, “High Adventure Outdoor Recreation.” It was an entire term dedicated to learning about and planning a “high adventure outdoor trip.” We each selected our destination, studied the topographical maps to get an idea of the terrain, we planned what equipment we would need, developed a meal plan, and planned the proper clothing required for the time of year. We spent 9 weeks planning, organizing, studying and readying ourselves for this wilderness adventure. I’d like to tell you that I remember where my project took me, but alas, 35 years have sent those memories into a fog.
The point is that any wilderness experience must be planned for, we must not venture into wilderness without some knowledge or understanding of what we are doing, whether that is a literal wilderness experience or a spiritual one. Planning and thoughtfulness are recommended. Growing up in Oregon I was surrounded by wilderness. The one area I loved most was called “The Three Sisters Wilderness Area.”
“Three Sisters is located in Central Oregon along and around the crest of the high cascades. It is a region of unparalleled beauty in the state of Oregon, with a wide variety of mountaineering possibilities along with beautiful lakes and meadows.[1]” Of course I loved it especially because it was called The Three Sisters and being the youngest of three girls I claimed the South Sister as my own.
Moving to Nevada I looked for a similar wilderness experience and was disappointed to realize that wilderness in Nevada was in stark contrast to the lush, green and mountainous environs I was used. Wilderness in Nevada more closely imitates the wilderness Jesus traveled into; a barren, arid, and rugged landscape filled with lizards, rattle snakes, desert tortoise and big horn sheep. I had to change my definition of wilderness from something lush and green to barren and dry.
So what exactly is wilderness? “Wilderness is land that is rare. Wild places where one can retreat from civilization, reconnect with the Earth, and find healing, meaning and significance.”[2] The 1964 Wilderness Act stated that wilderness is “…an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man.”[3]
From a spiritual perspective, wilderness is used metaphorically to represent a time where we, like Jesus, are led into a place of solitude to reflect and become totally dependent upon God. This spiritual wilderness is without distractions and allows for a full and complete focus on the divine. Without taking 40 days off from work or the many responsibilities we all are involved in, Lent then is an opportunity for us to mimic a spiritual wilderness. To be reminded that time away and solitude with Christ is to be sought after and room should be made in our busy schedules. In Mark 6:31 Jesus told his followers to “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” We are called to take time away, to be renewed, and to be molded by God.
Jesus’ wilderness time began “immediately” following his baptism. Scripture this morning says he was driven into the wilderness by the Spirit and there he remained for 40 days. Following his isolation he was tempted by the devil. Unlike this same story in both Luke and Mathew, Mark limits the details to “just the facts.” Wilderness experience complete with wild beasts, it lasted 40 days, he was tempted by the devil and was waited upon by angels. That’s it.
We are all called to endure or enjoy (you pick) our own spiritual wilderness experience. Hosea 2:14 says that “God will lead us into the wilderness and speak to our hearts.” Is there anyone here who would say “no” to that? Time in the wilderness which results in God speaking to our hearts.
“The wilderness of the Bible is a liminal space—an in-between place where ordinary life is suspended, identity shifts, and new possibilities emerge. Through the experiences of the Israelites in exile, we learn that while the Biblical wilderness is a place of danger, temptation and chaos, it is also a place for solitude, nourishment, and revelation from God.[4]”
“Wilderness times can be those times when we feel we are pushed to our limits, as we describe those times in wilderness terms: dry, desolate, lonely, trying, difficult, agonizing. We speak of hunger, thirst, and longing in the wilderness. This sermon series we have embarked on explores this difficult spiritual territory. We first recognize that wilderness time is a time for learning.[5]”
Several years ago an email was circulating that shared the list of the most significant things children have learned about life. I thought I would share a few:
“You can’t trust dogs to watch your food for you.”
“Don’t sneeze when somebody is cutting your hair.”
“You can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.”
“When your mom is mad at your dad, don’t let her brush your hair.”
“No matter how hard you try you cannot baptize a cat.”
“These are the kinds of accelerated learning experiences we call “learning the hard way.” So it is with the hard time in the wilderness. A lot can be learned in the wilderness, but one lesson stands out. That wilderness can be a time of accelerated learning about priority as we discover what really matters in our lives.
“Patrick Morley in his book, The Man in the Mirror relates the lack of a clear sense of priority to a trip to the grocery store on an empty stomach, without a shopping list. Nearly everything looks delicious and you wander through the aisles without a plan, loading up the shopping cart with all kinds of goodies. Doritos, Jamoca Almond Fudge ice cream, Little Debbies, Snickers, HoHo’s, and who could forget a six pack of Sprite. After the shock of the bill at the checkout stand, there is the shock of your spouse when you arrive home with sacks of snacks and food for only three real meals in the whole bunch!
“Life presents us with many options – a myriad of ways to use our resources, time, abilities and influence. Without a clear sense of what is the most important, we can spend it all and at the end of the day find that we have not taken care of what matters most.[6]” We can become so distracted by our schedules and our busyness that we lose sight of what is really important.
Before Jesus set out to begin his public ministry, he spent 40 days in the wilderness “sorting out what mattered most and becoming clear about God’s will for his life. The longer accounts of this story in Matthew and Luke tell us that Jesus was tempted by wealth, fame, and power to deviate from his mission. As we follow Jesus into the wilderness, we can see that our own wilderness time can be an important time of testing of our own values, looking at what is most important, and making decisions about our life’s priorities.[7]”
When someone we love becomes ill with cancer we can understand that in the midst of surgeries and treatment they would feel their priorities shifting and realigning. What was once important now seems irreverent as becoming well and spending time with loved ones takes priority. What was once thought to be most important now doesn’t even make the list of priorities. When my sister-in-law Colleen was diagnosed with brain cancer, she knew that she had an impossible wilderness journey ahead of her. Instead of continuing to work and focusing on her career, she readjusted her priorities and focused only on her treatments and spending time with my brother. Between treatments they traveled and spent her final year together making memories and cherishing their dwindling time together.
“As painful as wilderness experiences are, they can yield more spiritual growth than the “good times.” They can be times of intense learning about ourselves, about God, about what is most important, and about where life is headed. Without that time of stocktaking and learning – whether in the wilderness or not – life can just go along without much thought.”
So, we stop and ask ourselves some important wilderness questions:
- What important relationships and friendships have I been putting off to some future time?
- What is God calling me to do with my life and with all the resources God has given me?
- What in my life right now do I take for granted?
“A businessman visiting the pier of a coastal village noticed a small boat with just one fisherman pulling up to the dock. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. He complimented the fisherman on the fish and asked how long it took to catch them. “Only a little while,” the fisherman replied. “Why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?” asked the businessman.
“I have enough to support my family’s needs.” The business man then asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time? The fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, and stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my friends. I have a full and busy life.” The businessman scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and I could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats and eventually have a whole fleet of boats. You could cut out the middle man and sell directly to the processor, eventually you could opening your own cannery.
“You could control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small village and move to Mexico City, then Los Angeles, and eventually New York City where you would run your expanding enterprise.” The fisherman asked, “But, how long will all this take?” The MBA replied, “Fifteen to twenty years.” “But what then?” the fisherman asked.
The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part. When the time is right you would announce an initial public offering and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich; you would make millions.” “Millions?” the fisherman asked. “Then what?” The American said, “Then you would retire and move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your grandchildren, take a siesta with your wife, and stroll to the village in the evenings, where you could sip wine and play guitar with your friends.”
We have many lessons to learn while in the wilderness. What is most important in our lives today? Are we fulfilling the call to be the best we can be? I suspect there is room for improvement as we take time to learn about ourselves this Lenten wilderness season.
Let us pray: Lord as we venture into the wilderness of our souls, we seek your guidance, your protection and your love. We are prepared to spend the time we need to learn more about ourselves and to enrich our relationship with you. Amen.
[1] http://www.summitpost.org/three-sisters-wilderness/661228
[2] http://www.wilderness.net/NWPS/WhatIsWilderness
[3] http://www.oregonwild.org/wilderness#sthash.HmNXkfes.dpuf
[4] http://bibleresources.americanbible.org/resource/jesus-and-wilderness
[5] Worship in a Flash for Lent & Easter. Abingdon Press. Nashville, TN
[6] Worship in a Flash for Lent & Easter. Abingdon Press. Nashville, TN
[7] Worship in a Flash for Lent & Easter. Abingdon Press. Nashville, TN
