Temptations

Thinking about the New Year’s resolution conversation again, and about how hard it is to avoid succumbing to those temptations inherent in every resolution.  We don’t break resolutions randomly.  We are tempted and then walk right on down that path.  For many of us the fork in the road is NOT helpful – it is a utensil to our undoing!

Reading in Luke about Jesus in the wilderness and being tempted after forty days of fasting, I had one of those “aha” moments that God visits on us if we are paying attention.  Jesus was tempted three times.  In each case, He turned back the temptations by appropriately using Scripture (remember Scripture had been erroneously used to justify the temptation).  As I looked at those three temptations, each one represents different kinds of temptations in our lives.

First, Jesus was tempted to turn stones into bread.  He was obviously hungry.  Forty day fast, I would be ravenous!  This highlights physical temptations.  The Stone/Bread temptation is about our needs, in this case food.

It is hard in suburbia to truly identify with this temptation because most if not all of us have our basic needs of food, shelter, and clothing more than adequately met.  That is not however true in most of the world and even in much of America.  I literally cannot imagine what it must be like to be tempted to sin in order to satisfy a basic need.  And how much worse to be tempted to sin in order to satisfy a basic need for my children.

Second, Jesus was tempted with authority over all the kingdoms of the world.  This one came with a caveat:  bow down to something/someone other than the Lord God.  This highlights mental temptations. The Bow Down temptation is about power.

Power in and of itself is not the issue.   I must consider the cost of power sought or coveted.   What price my soul?

Third, Jesus was tempted to test God’s love and protection – to throw Himself off the ramparts and call on the angels to rescue Him.  This highlights emotional temptations.  The Jump Off A Cliff temptation is about validation.  Am I important enough to rescue?

We all seek validation.  I want to matter to someone. I want to be precious.  I  yearn to know God truly loves me enough to rescue me – to call out the angels.  But I sometimes forget to examine all the evidence that He does love me – the evidence that I am His child and He is my Abba.  To remember that He has plans for me – plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me hope and a future (Jer. 29:11).  To remember He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8) and that His love never changes or waivers (Romans 8:38).

Jesus was tempted in all the ways we are tempted: physically, mentally, and emotionally.  We cannot hope to overcome on our own.  The good news is we don’t have to overcome on our own.

From the Lord comes deliverance,
May Your blessing be on Your people.
– Psalm 3:8

May the Lord’s deliverance and blessing be on you.