Today's readings: Deuteronomy 26:4-10; Psalm 91:1-2, 10-15; Romans 10:8-13; Luke 4:1-13
When you look at the story of Jesus, right after he is baptized,
the spirit leads him into the desert where he will be tempted. He is there for
40 days. he did not eat anything and was hungry. It is in that
time of hunger that the devil tempts him.
The same is true for us. The devil is very cunning and he is going to try to tempt us when we are the most 'hungry'. He is going to tempt us with false fame, prosperity, protection, and anything else he can use. He knows that tempting a hungry person with food is easier than tempting someone who is not hungry. So he is going to find the thing we are most hungry for-happiness, peace, life, joy-and he twists and distorts ways to make us feel like we have become 'full'. The reason...so we will turn to him for more instead of turning to the one that will give these completely. He wants us to believe we can accomplish anything without God. He wants us to believe that he has the power to give us true life, and that God is not necessary. He wants us to push god away.
Satan encourages us to test God. Jesus responds by telling us that we are not supposed to put God to the test. How often that happens though-especially when we feel we are in need. We give God ultimatums. People tell us God can't exist for one reason or another, and so we start to test God's faithfulness to us.
The same is true for us. The devil is very cunning and he is going to try to tempt us when we are the most 'hungry'. He is going to tempt us with false fame, prosperity, protection, and anything else he can use. He knows that tempting a hungry person with food is easier than tempting someone who is not hungry. So he is going to find the thing we are most hungry for-happiness, peace, life, joy-and he twists and distorts ways to make us feel like we have become 'full'. The reason...so we will turn to him for more instead of turning to the one that will give these completely. He wants us to believe we can accomplish anything without God. He wants us to believe that he has the power to give us true life, and that God is not necessary. He wants us to push god away.
Satan encourages us to test God. Jesus responds by telling us that we are not supposed to put God to the test. How often that happens though-especially when we feel we are in need. We give God ultimatums. People tell us God can't exist for one reason or another, and so we start to test God's faithfulness to us.
Why shouldn't we test god? what does testing someone accomplish? It states that we do not trust them at their word. god tells us that if we are loved by him, and when we have faith in him he will not abandon us. If we tempt god we are saying that we don't believe him. we turn away from him, and make ourselves unhappy. This is a delight to Satan. because then he just has to convince us that it was god who made us unhappy. what has just happened is that we say that god (who is all truth) is lying to us, while we start to trust the biggest liar.
instead we have to trust in god. if we really believe all the teachings about who god is, it should be easier to trust him then ourselves. And so we must not give in to our broken humanity...but stand firm in our faith, knowing that god will always help us through.
I think this is how we can understand the first reading. The people had fallen, but in their hunger they turned to God. He brought them to a land, and now they are giving their first fruits. It isn't because God needs them. But, it is a reminder that God provided them with the ability for life...and giving our best back to God is our way of thanking him and making a commitment to him.
My encouragement is that whenever we are being tempted, we have to fight! And that fight is done by first turning back to God and asking for His help! Then we get filled with the grace to continue this fight.
During Lent we purposely make ourselves 'hungry'. Not so that it
makes it easier for Satan to tempt us...but by giving us the opportunity to
train our hearts to turn to God in our time of need. To learn that it is not
about testing God, but testing our own strength. And, we are able to offer our
first fruits back to him in thanksgiving.
Today, let us remember that we have been protected and promised a land of plenty! This week, let us not put our Lord to the test. We need to proclaim His love to the world, give him our hunger so that he can fill us with his life, and offer ourselves to him and his kingdom.
Today, let us remember that we have been protected and promised a land of plenty! This week, let us not put our Lord to the test. We need to proclaim His love to the world, give him our hunger so that he can fill us with his life, and offer ourselves to him and his kingdom.
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