Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Matthew 4:1, NKJV
Right after Jesus was baptized, the Bible says the Spirit led Him into the wilderness, probably the Wilderness of Judea to the south of Jerusalem. It extended from the Dead Sea to the Hill Country of Judea. Probably more commonly called En-gedi, nowadays.
Not a really hospitable country. Dry, arid. While he was there he fasted both food and liquid. While a healthy adult human can go forty days without food, three days without water is pretty much the limit. Only one Man could go forty days without water: Jesus.
The period of time between Ash Wednesday (which occurred this year on February 18) and Easter (this year on April 5) is called Lent and is actually forty-six days long--allowing days off for Sundays to accomplish the specified forty days.
A lot of Christians celebrate it by fasting, but not always food. They choose something that they like and choose not to eat (or drink) any of that particular item. Or they might not watch television. Sometimes, they do something extra--like weeding the flowerbeds at church. It's a way of identifying with what Jesus went through for those forty days in the wilderness, of drawing closer to Him.
I love anything that will draw me closer to Him, don't you? So, Lord, why is it sometimes it does nothing BUT deprive me of something I like. The whole purpose of fasting is, I believe, to get closer to God. So if I'm just not eating anything with sugar in it (or whatever) and not spending more time with Jesus, what's the point? I need to do a little refocusing, mayhap.
Lord, please do draw me closer to You. I want to, but I guess I need a reminder to spend a little more time in prayer and reading the Bible. Bless me, Lord, with a little more of You. Remind me to spend a few more minutes of my precious time with my precious Lord of Lords. Tap me on the shoulder when I get distracted. I need more of You. Thank You, Lord. Amen.
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