His mission to “seek and to save the lost” begins with a mountain top experience of being baptized by the messenger, John the Baptist, designated to “come before Him who saves” and jumps immediately to a forty day and night desert experience with Satan. To say, “nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen” is not true. Jesus knows and He cares. He goes through it with You. Sometimes, like the rest of that spiritual, “nobody knows but Jesus” is true, but Jesus DOES know. And He cares. He is our helper and our strength through it all.

Mark 1, The Message

John the Baptizer
1 1-3 The good news of Jesus Christ—the Message!—begins here, following to the letter the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.

Watch closely: I’m sending my preacher ahead of you;
He’ll make the road smooth for you.
Thunder in the desert!
Prepare for God’s arrival!
Make the road smooth and straight!
4-6 John the Baptizer appeared in the wild, preaching a baptism of life-change that leads to forgiveness of sins. People thronged to him from Judea and Jerusalem and, as they confessed their sins, were baptized by him in the Jordan River into a changed life. John wore a camel-hair habit, tied at the waist with a leather belt. He ate locusts and wild field honey.

7-8 As he preached he said, “The real action comes next: The star in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will change your life. I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. His baptism—a holy baptism by the Holy Spirit—will change you from the inside out.”

9-11 At this time, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. The moment he came out of the water, he saw the sky split open and God’s Spirit, looking like a dove, come down on him. Along with the Spirit, a voice: “You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life.”

What an affirmation to mission…by God himself to His Son! Let the mission to save the lost begin! But first…the testing.

12-13 At once, this same Spirit pushed Jesus out into the wild. For forty wilderness days and nights he was tested by Satan. Wild animals were his companions, and angels took care of him.

God’s own creation was protected through the temptation! What a thought! We will be tested and tried, too, but again know that Jesus knows and cares.

Dear Heavenly Father, Who am I trying to convince today? Me or my friends. Maybe all of us need to be reminded of Your perfect love, mercy and grace as we go through trials. We know You care. We lean heavily into You today. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit. We thank you for all the times you rescued us, comforted us and saw us through our own mistakes and consequences as well as temptations and circumstance. We love You with grateful hearts knowing how much You care.
In Jesus Name, Amen