Lord, Throughout These Forty Days...39

Last day of Lent. The journey ends. Jesus exits the wilderness.

Luke 4 records that Jesus then returned to His hometown of Nazareth and delares, "...no prophet is accepted in his hometown." He then looks at some examples from the life of Elijah, the oft connected one. Many Israeli widows lived in destitution during Elijah's ministry, but Elijah was sent [by God] to the Sidonite widow at Zarephath. There were many unhealed lepers in Israel during this same time, but only Naaman a Syrian was cleansed.

His hometown people become so furious they try to throw Him off a cliff.

As I leave the wilderness and Lent behind, I must realize this spiritually intense time, like all time, must come to an end. What God has affirmed during these days will be directly attacked by the enemy most likely through those close to me. Father-God declared Him accepted, but the hometown crowd rejected Him. Father-God declared Him well-pleasing, those in  hometown crowd are unpleased to the point of anger. Father-God declares Him beloved, the hometown crowd questions His paternity.

God leads us into these places in order to buttress us for the coming challenge. God leads us out of these places in order to do His work in His world. Without the preparation, we implode. Unless we act, the preparation implodes.We must be people of withdrawal and advance, people of contemplation and activity.

Why only one widow ministered to? God's leading. Why only one leper cleansed? God's plan. Outsiders become insiders by the sheer mercy of God. We cannot claim it, only receive it. And the wilderness teaches us to wait.

Finally, this moment in the synagogue of Nazareth teaches that Jesus in the power of the Spirit carries out the Word of the Father and the outsiders can come in.