And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the Good News of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the Good News." Mark 1:12-15

Just after Jesus was baptized he spent 40 days in the wilderness; praying, fasting, and enduring the temptations of Satan.   All of this was in preparation of His ministry, enabling Him to resist temptation, even when exhausted and weak.   Jesus understood the wilderness, knowing that it was necessary before embarking on His mission.

Have you ever considered what may have happened in Christ's ministry had he not spent 40 days in preparation, praying and fasting? Would He have been able to withstand the extreme pressure placed upon Him to establish an Earthly kingdom?   Would He have had such loving compassion and empathy for the down trodden and weak? Would He have been as effective in dealing with those who tried so diligently to refute His message of God's Grace? Would His faith have been strong enough to endure death on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins? We can only speculate, but when we reflect on our own ministry it is easy to see that without preparation our efforts are often less than they should be.

I know that many times I am quick to jump into something without much thought, especially with regard to my faith or state of spiritual preparation.   How much more effective would my efforts be if I would spend time praying and fasting, seeking God's will and sustenance before plunging head first into action?   How much better would the results be if I invited Christ to lead and direct my work instead of doing it all on my own, albeit in Jesus name?

During this season of preparation; spend some time thinking about what it really means to prepare. There are times for action, and we are all called to action, but very often action, without preparation, produces results that are far less than what could have been. Just as Christ spent time in the wilderness preparing for the work ahead, we need to spend time in preparation, alone with God, seeking the strength and wisdom necessary to do the right thing while serving in His name.