Have you ever been rudely awakened by the bark of a dog or the scream of a fox on the night prowl or the ferocious meowing of fighting feral cats? When a howling animal breaks the silence of the night, there’s a certain eeriness to it but we fall back to sleep in the comfort of our homes. A visit to the zoo is usually uneventful as you stand on the outside of cages looking in. But would you want to spend a night on the inside?
Two thousand years ago an obscure young man from Nazareth had been baptized in the Jordan River. At that time baptisms in the Jordan were not that uncommon; but when this young man emerged from the water, there was a very brief but most unusual announcement made over Heaven’s PA system: “This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” Matthew 3:17.
Immediately afterwards, Jesus was taken to a barren wilderness where He was tempted by Satan. He deprived Himself of food for – not days or weeks but actually, for more than a month. Alone. No earthly comforts. No bed. No pillow. No roof – exposed to the weather and to more than the weather!
He was surrounded by uncaged foxes, untamed jackals, roaming wolves, wild boars, hyenas, and stalking leopards. During this forty-day period, there was also the barrage of unrelenting attacks and persistent temptations from Satan. By the way, the temptations levelled at Christ were not allowed by God to see if He might sin by yielding to temptation, but to prove He could not yield. He was sinless.
And He was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him. Mark 1:13
We don’t know if the wild animals hissed and howled and lunged at Him, baring their fangs with their backs hunched and their ears back or whether they were docile and tame creatures in the presence of their Creator. The latter was most likely the case. But this we know for sure – just the mention of their presence adds to the bleakness and isolation of His wilderness experience. But there was a darker experience ahead.
This same Man would be condemned to death, taunted and tortured and ultimately spiked to a cross. For certain, these particular wild beasts were not docile in His presence. They were human beings and they attacked Him in every conceivable way.
Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.” Psalm 22:12-13.
This time the wild beasts were His own people who behaved as savage beasts. And besides the Jews, there were the Romans who nailed Him to the Cross:
For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet.” Psalm 22:16
In the wilderness, the angels ministered to His needs. But He suffered alone upon the Cross, surrounded by the beast-like hearts of men with no angels to minister to Him. What a dark experience that must have been! But it got worse.
What must it have been like when the blackness of the darkest night in the middle of the day engulfed the scene, while Jesus was abandoned by God Himself? “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Theologically one could delve more deeply into the wonders of the Cross – but today, just appreciate that my sins and your sins were placed on Jesus. And God poured out His wrath upon the holy and innocent One. Christ was forsaken so I would not be eternally forsaken.
Do I love Him? Yes!
Do I have reason to love Him? Yes! Every reason!
Did He have any reason to love me?
No! Absolutely none.
So why did He? And why does He and why will He forever?
The more I think about it – the greater the wonder becomes.
Did I thank Him today? Did you?
Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today.
Warmly in Christ,
Peter Ramsay
Relentless Pursuit of a Father’s Love – Ten Motorcycles Later
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