In the Gospel of the first Sunday in Lent, our Lord's account of His 40 days and nights in the wilderness, is a good basis for our daily meditations during Lent. It begins with the words "Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from Jordan and was led by the spirit in the desert, where for 40 days, he was tempted by the devil. From the outset and throughout those days of testing. He was aware of God's Spirit leading and keeping Him company at every stage of His battles with the evil tempter.
We pray for the same awareness of God's presence as we observe Lent. "The Lord be with you is an apt prayer to say to a believer on the Lenten pilgrimage. Quite likely many may be using Lent as a time for restoring and developing the "Practice of the Presence of God". At the close of Saint Luke's account of Christ's victory over the tempter we have interesting words: "When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time."
The battle against evil was never over for Jesus any more than it is for any of us. The devil is brilliant in choosing the opportune moment to tempt. When Jesus was famished with hunger: "Tell this stone to become bread"; "All the kingdoms of the world will be yours if you worship me. He dares Jesus to snatch at short term "success" by throwing himself from the highest point of the temple. Jesus replies to the devil by quoting words from the scriptures. . . stressing God's presence, wisdom and power. The evil schemer is dismissed: "Get thee behind me Satan."
The victory over the temptations by Jesus put the evil tempter "right back in his box", but he goes on seeking an opportune moment. He found opportunity to "get at" Jesus when He was in Gethsemane in agony. Aware of God and alert to the wiles of the devil again pointing to an easy way out, He prays. He may have used words of His own prayer Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil." He prayed "If it be Thy will let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not my will but Thine be done." The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis expose devious ways used by the devil to get people in his grip. Proud people... people who might say "there is no need for prayer or Lent" would be vulnerable!
Those who have often yielded to, temptations know the utter misery of isolation. .. of being in the wilderness. . . of despair until they realise the companionship of Christ in the wilderness. In Jesus "we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are yet without sin." Saint Paul is aware of the God who may lead us into the wilderness of temptations but lovingly sees us through, and even helps us out of the mire:
"So then let a man who thinks he stands secure beware of falling. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to men; and God is faithful and will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength; but when the temptation comes, He will provide a way out.