Into the Wild
the final weekly exploration of Lent #7
A Wild Announcement of Good News
When Jesus came out of the wilderness, he caused a scandal in His hometown synagogue.
“…and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’
Luke 4:17–-21
Scott Erickson has long been helping me on my own spiritual journey through his Art and reflections. Check out his work: https://www.scottericksonart.com
Biblical prophets were wild, untamed creatures. They often had bizarre visions and they sometimes used visual aids or elaborate object lessons to get God’s message across. They were not appreciated by those in power. But even the most radical message can become dull and familiar over time. When Jesus reads the Prophet Isaiah’s words to the crowd in the synagogue, they initially ‘spoke well of him’ (v22). But they had no idea how wildly, broadly and personally Jesus would apply these divine promises.
Jesus brought good news for the poor, liberty for the captives, and sight for the blind. But He was quite clear that you needed to know that you were poor, captive and blind in order to receive this good news. Those who do not know they are blind cannot receive sight. Nor can prisoners receive liberty if they are content in their imprisonment. Jesus invites us out of the wilderness of our oppression, darkness and sin, and into the wildness of His freedom, light and forgiveness. Will we accept the invite?
Drew Jackson has a whole book of poetry on the Lenten Journey… it is so helpful. https://www.ivpress.com/touch-the-earth
Prayer
Lord, have we got blinders on, or earplugs in, to keep us “safe” from the sharp power of Your Word? Let us be freshly scandalised by Your promises today.
Search our hearts, Lord. Show us who we are tempted to want to exclude from Your favour. We repent of the walls we have built between us and them.
“You are the God who makes a way when there is no way. Free us from our anxious intransigence and our impoverished imaginations. Open us to your newness, the gospel gift given over and over and over again. Amen.” - Brueggemann
Action
Take a journey into the wild. The wild for you may be an unfamiliar neighbourhood, maybe filled with people who are different from you. Look for beauty there within the unfamiliarity. The wild could also be an area of actual wilderness, a wooded area, a large park, a river, etc. Look for the wild beauty there as well.
Reflect on what you have been praying about this week, and what the invitation into Jesus’ life looks like.
More Resources
May It Be So, Forty Days With the Lord’s Prayer, Justin McRoberts and Scott Erickson
A Way Other Than Our Own, Walter Brueggemann
Courses: