Wednesday, February 6: Luke 4- Wilderness.

Wilderness again attracts me. Luke records, Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness (1).

As we read, Jesus’ wilderness experience was a bit more intense and personal than most of our wilderness experiences, however, his challenges are ones that face most of us in one way or another.

Food, sustenance, provision… temptations to acquire what we need and beyond that, what we want come to every person. How we go about acquiring what we need is the test. Will I earn it honorably? Will I be satisfied if people I know have more than me? Will I trust God to provide what I need or will I go after it by my own strength and ability alone??? These are issues I face, everyone faces… How am I (you) doing with this test?

Authority, power, recognition… again, temptations and enticements to authority, power and recognition tap each of us in one way or another. The parent who lords it over children just because he/she can. The boss who imposes her/his will on subordinates because they can. These are examples of people seeking authority and power. It is not only upper crust people who exert authority, I suspect every human is tempted by this in one relational circle or another. How am I (you) doing with this test?

Testing God… trying to put God in a situation where He must act. First of all it is so foolish that we human beings could cause God to have to act. God is God and we are not. Yet, there are times when I test God. Sometimes the way I pray, as the words come out of my mouth, I hear myself trying to butter-up God with superlatives in order to make Him answer me. Or I repeat some pious action simply because God answered me once when I did that action. It is as if I am thinking God has to answer my prayer again.  One of the common sins of humanity is trying to ‘make God work for us.’ And that is getting things upside down. As I said, God is God and I am not!

Lord God, help me to keep priorities right and lines of authority correct. You are God and I am Your servant. Thank You, Father, for reminding me of this again today and for opening my heart to Your world. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.