I have begun to write after a long interval of other activities. The current effort is a collection of short stories tentatively titled, "Locusts and Wild Honey."  In a section just completed yesterday, a middle-aged minister of a 1500 member church is delivering the fourth part of a sermon series called "The Wilderness."

In the King James Version of the Bible, the word “wilderness” is mentioned 304 times. In some cases, the word “wilderness” is biblically connected with the number 40, which is mentioned 157 times.

You may recall that Jesus wandered in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights without food and drink.  In that event, nothing happened for 39 days, but on the 40^th day of being in the wilderness, Jesus was hungry, thirsty and weak in body and spirit.  It was at this vulnerable time in our Savior’s life that Satan appears to Jesus, tempting him.”

The Sanctuary filled with 350 souls fell silent as each knew of times in their lives where they had been susceptible to temptation.  One man in the choir moved his eyes and head upward, staring vacantly at the patterned ceiling of the two hundred year old Sanctuary, as he recalled a recent incident.

“I’m going to say something now which some will find overly simplistic and others will find fundamental.  My friends, I believe there is a war going on between good and evil all around us, in ways visible and invisible. Further, I believe that every day, we are part of that struggle and subject to it.”

Reverend Talbot paused again as a period of silence uncomfortably permeated the space.

16th Century Illumination depicting Satan daring Christ to turn a stone into bread.                                           Simon Bening of Ghent