Drop Kick Me Jesus

Friday March 2nd, Mark 1: 12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, 13 and he was in the desert forty days being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. No time for rest. In Mark's gospel everything happens fast and with power. Being a child of God is no special protection for Jesus or for us. Being a child of God is to take on the awesome responsibility of being there for one another. As we enter the Lenten season, it is our calling also. These brothers and sisters of mine in the kingdom, God wasn't just kidding when God asked us to reach out and care for one another, and God wasn't kidding when the most care was given to those who hurt the most. Watch out for one another in this wilderness called life. In our baptismal blessing, it is what we have promised to do. After his baptism, the spirit drop-kicked Jesus right out into the wilderness where the temptations began and where theology was honed. In our baptism, the spirit drop-kicks us through the goal posts of life (thank you Bobby Bare) and onto the playing field called life where we are tested and tempted and our theology is honed by a combination of trouble and grace. Welcome to God’s world.