and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him. Mark 1:13
The relationship God wants to establish with each one of us is just like the one He had with Jesus. It is covenantal in nature, binding, intimate, vibrant and life-giving. Although Christ was in the desert for 40 days, no small amount of time, He was protected whether from the devil or wild beasts. Likewise, the Father will protect me from evil and save me from temptation and sin if I so desire, if I say yes to this covenantal relationship with Him.
Saying yes implies a certain way of living, living out God’s love and truth no matter what happens to me. Come rain, come shine, I espouse His ways to the end, whether it be bitter or sweet. Such constancy in faith requires vigilance, zeal and endurance. We already know what happened to Jesus, He came, He loved and was persecuted for it. By remaining true to who He was, He was crucified. Don’t expect it to be too different if you are His disciple.
So why would I choose to be Christian? Because despite all the trials that will come in life, I know that nothing can take away the deep joy and consolation, this inner peace that comes from having a covenantal relationship with Him. I know that He will always be there for me, and that He will see me through the darkest valleys, as He has done in the past. His love sustains me especially when I am down. And He always sends angels to take care of me in my time of need.
I experience His love in countless ways every single day. There are so many miracles to take in and marvel at daily. What’s more, I do not have to agonize much when it comes to making hard decisions for things are clear when I say yes to being in covenant with the Father. Life can be simple, and simply good.
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