Scripture details how Jesus often went into the desert to places where he could be alone with the Father. The desert, scripture assures us, is where God is especially near. God sends his angels to minister to us when we are in the desert and the garden of Gethsemane. The desert, as we know, is a place that is stripped of everything that generally nourishes and supports us. We are exposed to chaos, raw fear, and demons of every kind. In the desert, we are exposed, body and soul, made vulnerable to be overwhelmed by chaos and temptations of every kind. But precisely because we are so stripped of everything we usually rely on, this is also a privileged moment for grace. Why? Because all the defense mechanisms, support systems, and distractions that we usually surround ourselves with to keep chaos and fear at bay work at the same time to keep much of God’s grace at bay. What we use to buoy us upwards off both chaos and grace, demons and the divine alike. Conversely, when we are helpless, we are open. That is why the desert is both the place of chaos and the place of God’s closeness. It is no accident that while feeling all is lost, God’s presence shows up. Just at that point in our lives, when we have lost everything that can support us, we find ourselves in the desert of life. And scripture assures us that it is there that God can send angels to minister to us.