Because God loves us

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John.

As soon as he came up out of the water, he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.

And a voice came from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased.”

Immediately the Spirit drove him into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. (Mark 1:9-13)

It always strikes me that just one sentence after we see the Father saying to Jesus, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased,” it says the Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan.

Sometimes we think, “Though God loves us, he sometimes lets us go through deserts.”

But the thought that came to me today was this: “Because God loves us, he sometimes drives us into the deserts.”

Why?

I think we see the answer in Hebrews 12:6-7.

for the Lord disciplines the one he loves
and punishes every son he receives.,

Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline?

Even Jesus, who never sinned, experienced the Father’s discipline. And we see it here in Mark. But why did Jesus have to undergo discipline if he never sinned? 

That answer is also in Hebrews.

Although he was the Son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.

After he was perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him... (Hebrews 5:8-9)

As a man, Jesus had to learn obedience just like we do. And obedience is tested not in the easy times, but in the difficult.

It’s easy to obey God when all is going well. It’s hard to obey God when we’re going through a desert. Through his time in the desert, Jesus learned obedience. It was an obedience that would be tested again in Gethsemane. (Mark 14:36-40)

But now, because Jesus has learned obedience, the writer of Hebrews says,

For since he himself has suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:18)

So don’t get discouraged when you go through deserts. God doesn’t drive you there because he hates you. He does it because he loves you.

Just as he disciplined Jesus, he disciplines us. Not to destroy us. But for our good. (Hebrews 12:10-11)

And if you’re struggling through a desert right now, know that Jesus understands you. Because he has experienced the Father’s discipline too.

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)