#Lentendevotional, Day 3
In that famous Lenten text, the Gospels describe Jesus’ ascent to the mountain to be tempted:
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
Tolkien once said that “Shortcuts make for long delays.” Shortcuts are usually seen as a way of avoiding areas/places we don’t wish to encounter or avoiding the longer route. Perhaps it is easier to choose the easy route–the road which demands less commitment or less repentance.
It’s quite true that when we go on a journey, we need to know where we are going. But instead of a short route through beautiful sceneries, Lent provides a long and winding road filled with unseemly terrain which continues for the next thirty-eight days. But we should not understand this journey as torturous. The longer journey is all necessary because our destination is Easter. Thus, in this journey we will be afforded opportunities to fast on certain occasions, we may choose to serve others more consistently, to repent with precision rather than generalities.
The purpose of these rituals is not to earn some merit, but to learn just how precious are the merits of Jesus. The road to the empty grave is a difficult road, but the only true road to glory. We can’t take shortcuts on this journey. We must walk through the desert places and step on serpents’ heads and take naps surrounded by wild animals.
On this Lenten Season, we give thanks that our Lord Jesus did not take shortcuts on his journey to Calvary. Lent is a concentrated time to boast on the cross (Gal. 6:14) and to reorient our spiritual direction by avoiding the shortcuts to confession and embracing the road less traveled.
Prayer: O, blessed Lord Jesus, who did fast for 40 days, grant us the vision of our blessed destination as we journey with you in this season and do not cease to give us opportunities to make our calling and election sure through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Hymn of the Day: Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
