Dear Friends,

Thirteen years ago, I spent several days in Arizona with my parents. The abrupt change from leading a cluster church conference on Sunday night as a district superintendent to the utter stillness of the desert on Monday afternoon brought deep renewal to my spirit. In the midst of the barrenness of the wilderness, I could see life everywhere: lizards, roadrunners, birds, insects, flowers, scrub brush, and cactuses. This sudden introduction to the wilderness reminded me of Mark’s proclamation:

Look, I am sending my messenger before you. 
He will prepare your way,
a voice shouting in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way for the Lord;
make his paths straight.” (CEB)

So begins the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, according to Mark. The Israelites prepared to enter the Promised Land by living in the wilderness for forty years. John the Baptist prepared the Hebrews for the coming of Jesus from the wilderness. Jesus himself prepared for his own ministry by retreating to the wilderness. For centuries, Christians have been called to begin Advent in the wilderness.

Why the wilderness? Why are we called to the desert in order to prepare properly for Christ’s coming? And what spiritual practices nurture us along the way to Bethlehem? Here is one reason for me. For many years now, the saguaro cactus has been a symbol for my Advent journey. This unique cactus is only found in the Sonoran Desert of extreme southeastern California, southern Arizona, and adjoining northwestern Mexico. 

Saguaros are tall, stately, solitary cactuses that rise majestically above the desert floor. Some saguaros live for two hundred years, reach a height of fifty feet, and weigh eight tons, making them the largest cactuses in the United States. Saguaros grow very slowly, about an inch a year, but that growth occurs in spurts, most of it taking place in the summer rainy season.

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