13 March - Tempting, but no..

Readings:
1 Pet 3:13-22
Mat 4:1-11

How does the story about the temptation of Jesus speak to you? There are some transcendent truths related to the narrative - some aspects which speak universally. It is for instance historical, not mythical - the whole affair actually happened. It also demonstrates how Jesus identified with us in our weakness. He was tempted just like we are by stuff that was actually really tempting to him, and at a time when he was at his weakest. We read that he "suffered when he was tempted." (Heb 2:18). It is reassuring to know that our God is not aloof to our realities.

There are however some lessons we can take in a more personal capacity. All four the temptations boiled down to a short cut: He was not simply tempted to prove that he is the Son of God, to satisfy his gnawing hunger, to experience God's supernatural protection and exaltation, and to gain supreme control of the kingdoms of the world. All these things were going to happen anyway and I'm sure Jesus knew it. The temptation was to get it all without having to bear the cross. He was offered the ultimate short cut.

How does this apply to our lives? In many ways of course, but today I let it question the way in which I tend to pray for myself. Do I honour God's process in my life, or do I constantly ask for the short cut? Jesus himself had to learn obedience from what he suffered (Heb 5:8), an utterly baffling scripture. But my prayers for myself are filled with pleas to circumvent suffering. Maybe it's ok, I don't know. Jesus also prayed for the cup to pass if at all possible. It wasn't.