Wilderness

I recently went on retreat with a small group I'm involved in. We've been meeting for nearly two years and our main focus has centered around formational issues. This retreat was a good pause from our usual schedule, designed to go a bit deeper, more concentrated into some facet of Christ forming in us.

We were led by two people who encouraged us to look at a couple of early events in Jesus' ministry, His baptism and His time in the wilderness immediately following His baptism. We looked at baptism as an identity bestowment event, "This is my Son in whom I am well pleased", and wilderness as a place of formation, a place of grace.

As we moved from identity into discussing wilderness and it's formative nature, one of our leaders said, "Our elder brother (Jesus) has shown us the way to live, make it through the wilderness."

A question arose in me, perhaps an impertinent one, maybe even dangerous, "Really? Did you not, Jesus, as incarnate God, have resources that are not available to me?" This centers around Jesus being fully human and fully God. The advantages afforded Him and the call to follow Him into the wilderness seems a bit like asking me to bat like a steroid-infused Mark McGuire at the height of his ability a few years ago. He has an unfair advantage.

Formation, time in the wilderness, is a necessity, it would seem, if we are to become more Christ-like. But how do I navigate this terrain? I believe my questions are fair ones that many may ask if they are honest. The answer is in the concept of "Christ in me, I in Christ", a personal incarnation of sorts. Learning to rest in, live in John 10:10 LIFE, a life only possible because of personal incarnation. Again, Christ in me, I in Christ. By walking in faith, God's resources are mine. By listening to the voice of my Good Shepherd, I will follow more victoriously into the wilderness.

Another thought has arisen. Jesus was not fully God in human flesh, but fully God AND fully human. We often think of Incarnation as a stooping as He put on flesh, a way for us to know He understands our frailties. This certainly is true but there may be more to this. Perhaps He's telling us we are not as fully human as we believe we are. Perhaps He's also showing us how to be fully human. Perhaps He's asking us to consider we will only be fully human to the degree we become more alive to God; Christ in me, I in Christ.

Otherwise we are only living in the shallows of human-ness.