To be fully HUMAN — A Daily Reflection

 

 

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.

 

Satan appealed to the three weakest points Jesus might have.  First, Jesus had been in the desert for forty days and nights.  He was ravenously hungry, physically exhausted, and emotionally alone.  From a human standpoint, He was at the weakest point He could be.  Nothing could have been more appealing at that point than something to eat, something cool to drink and a soft bed to lie down in - all of which Jesus could easily have had.  So Satan tempted Him.

 

Next, was Jesus’ ego.  He knew who He was, but few other people did.  To the world, He was a humble carpenter who’d been born in a stable… a nobody.  Mary knew who Jesus was, but no other human did.  But Jesus knew He was God Incarnate.  How satisfying it would have been to throw Himself off the temple spire and allow a legion of angels to rescue Him in a spectacular miracle.  That would show the world wo He was!  So Satan tempted Him.

 

Finally, Jesus knew what was out there ahead of Him.  He knew what He was going to have to go through to save the world from its sins.  He lived every day in anticipation of the incomprehensible pain and suffering that He would have to endure – not just the physical pain, but the spiritual pain that would come when He “became sin” and the Father turned away from Him.  It would be so much easier to just declare His Kingdom right then and there, to avoid what lay ahead, to prevent His suffering.  So Satan tempted Him.

 

But, praise God, Jesus did not give in!  God’s purpose for His life was more important to Him than His own comfort, His own ego, His own dread of pain.  Through all the temptation laid before Him, He stood firm and sinless.

 

Temptation in our lives comes in many forms.  Remember, Satan hits us where we’re the weakest.  If we’re tired and hungry and alone, he knows what to throw in front of us to make us sin.  If our egos are bruised, he knows how to tempt us to make us feel better about ourselves.  If we know something is going to be painful, Satan will throw an easy way out in front of us - something outside of God’s will for us - a way to avoid the pain and lead us away from God.  And finally, Satan tempts us through our strengths.  Just as Jesus could have shown His power and strength through turning the stones to bread, or leaping off the temple spire, so you and I can be tempted to show just how strong we are and begin to rely on our own strengths, our own power, our own talents… rather than on God.

 

Be wary.  Watch out for the snares and temptations Satan will lay before you.  They all have one purpose, and one purpose only - to stop God’s purpose in your life.  Don’t let the devil win those little battles.  Remember, he’s already lost the war!

 

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.  1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV