the wilderness of temptation

So Jesus manages to pass the 'stone to bread' test in that pesky wilderness, but the Great Tempter isn't finished.

[Let's pause just a moment here and look at this character in the story who is called both the devil and the tempter.  The devil is a tester or tempter.  His job is to test one's faithfulness to God, and he will tempt one to turn away from God and take another path.  The temptation is intended to strengthen one's faith.......although, of course, that is not always the result.  This character is present in Genesis 3 (the Garden of Eden) and in the book of Job.  Our concept of the tempter as Evil Incarnate is not an accurate reflection of his role in the biblical story.  Just saying.]

Soooo, the Great Tempter isn't finished with Jesus out there in the wilderness.  Isn't that how it happens?  When you are in the wilderness, the temptations come fast and close.

We watch as the devil tempts Jesus to jump off the temple roof.  Why?  To press God into protecting his life and well-being.  What a show!  Angels swooping down to break his fall; God at his glorious best while Jesus suffers no harm.

But we know that the glory of God.,...the very heart of God.....is not manifest in cheap parlor tricks. Jesus is not here among humankind to protect himself.....and put God to the test at the same time.  Jesus came to protect the vulnerable, lifting them up in status and calling them friends....even taking on suffering for the sake of others.

One more time Satan throws out a possibility:  you can rule the whole world Jesus.  All this power can be yours.  You can be king of the jungle.  Jesus knew that there can only be one King of All: and that was God, the Creator.  Furthermore, Jesus would reign over all the earth, but he would do it from a cross and in obedience to God's call to love.  Get behind me Satan!

We will have or have had or possibly even..are having right at this moment.... similar experiences in our lives: temptations to take care of ourselves to the exclusion of others; temptations to parlay our relationship with God to some kind of special protection for ourselves; and the temptation to take all the power that is offered to us by those who do not have the welfare of our neighbors at heart.  All these will weaken our connection to God and in time, we will forget the love that gave us life in the first place.

Love God.  Love your neighbor.  Using these two commandments as a measuring stick for the actions of our lives will help us when faced by temptation.

Unless the temptation is chocolate.  I am sure God loves chocolate as much as I do, right?