At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

--Parallel verses:
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭15‬
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

This is one of the most interesting stories of Jesus’ life in the Bible. If you look at it as an isolated incident, it really has no point, as nothing really happened at the end of it that was tangibly good or bad. It was not healing someone or saving people or standing up for anyone. It was without purpose in and of itself. Its purpose was dependent on the future.

In a kind of spiritual boot camp of sorts, God the Holy Spirit sent Jesus into the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights. We know from other passages that he fasted during this time. And at the end of it, Satan tempted him. So putting myself in Jesus’ sandals, so to speak, what would I have felt during this time? I would have felt alone and purposeless. The heat and barrenness of the desert would have gotten to me. I would have missed his family and friends. And all the while, every day, he likely knew that after his mind, body and soul were depleted of strength and totally worn out, it was then that he would be tempted. Fear, worry, anxiety and irrational thought likely would have crept into his mind. His body and subconscience might have played tricks on him. And then he was tempted.

It also makes me wonder: Did Satan petition God beforehand, like he did with Job, to see if he would stay faithful after such a brutal testing. God knew he would. Why? Because though he was human and had free will, he also had an unbelievably big heart and he knew the Word of God through and through.

So God led him away into temptation. And Jesus passed the test. For Jesus, it seems this test served to prove that he was humble and willing to follow the path to the cross God laid out for him. For us, Peter explains why these tests and trials exist: “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (I Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬-‭7‬)

Jesus can relate to me in all of life’s challenges. He understands long days followed by long nights. He understands abandonment, loneliness, and rejection. He understands being tested when we are worn down. And since he conquered these trials without sin, he can help us, as our Savior and Lord, to conquer our own trials too. He also understands all of the emotions and temptations that come in the midst of a trial, so he can empathize with us in every way!

What a truly amazing Savior! What a completely incredible Lord!

Thank you, Jesus, for being willing to be tested and show us your battle-hardened faith. It tells me that I can, with your Spirit in me, have a battle-hardened faith too. May I seek to love you well today, even if trials come my way!