2/11/2013

The Wilderness

The Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness.

The “wilderness” can bring up different images in our mind. In this week's Bible reading from Luke 4:1-13, however, the term is trying to communicate some place where God is absent. In the Hebrew language it is called TOHU WA BOHU – the formless void that existed before God created. It was the place where there was no order – only chaos. (That come from the Greek “Khaos” and the word is the Greek equivalent of TOHU WA BOHU.)  It’s a place where no one wants to be and no one would ever choose to be. But it is a place where Jesus was led. I don’t think this is a place where we ever have to go – though it may be a place that we sometimes feel as if we are.

But while Jesus was in TOHU WA BOHU, the Spirit was there.

If we ever feel like we are surrounded by chaos – that we are in TOHU WA BOHU – God is still never absent.  As a matter of fact, TOHU WA BOHU – to follow the story of creation in Genesis – is the place where God begins to create.

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