“Man does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
(Matthew 4:4)

Lent 20

Reflection:
We hunger for many things in life. Many of them have to do with our own wants and perceived needs. They may range from basic physical necessities to comfort and luxury and to power and prestige. For many of us there is also the need to feel significant in the eyes of others.

Jesus first temptation, after His baptism and acknowledgement by God, brought some of these into focus. He was hungry and the temptation was for Him to focus on His own desires by using His God-given powers to satisfy them. However He was not going to make this the focus of His life and work for He had come for another purpose. So He resolved instead to submit Himself to the word and direction of God. He would later be able to say that,

• “I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.” (John 12:49)
• “I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me.” (John 14:31)

This contrasts so clearly with Eve’s response to her temptation when, although she knew what God had said, she allowed herself to be led astray by her own feelings and understandings. Many of us know the truth of her response only too well.

“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” (Genesis 3:6)

If we persist in following our own desires and understanding we stand in great danger of putting ourselves before God and of finding that we have walked ourselves into darkness and despair. A part of the sin and its consequences is the fact that we have  prevented ourselves from becoming and being and living out our God-given potential. We will have opted to be sons and daughters of the world instead of growing as the sons and daughters of God. It will never satisfy us or bring us peace.

Are we allowing ourselves to be formed, directed and enriched by His Word – or seduced and impoverished by the words of the world?  Jesus recorded decision is intended to be a model and a guide to us, and to be a foundation on which we build our priorities.

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

Jesus is not saying that good work and its rewards are wrong. He is saying that our priorities are vital. They need to be God-centred and not self-centred. So we do need to be informed, directed and protected by God’s Word – both written and Living.

Response:
What then are your hunger areas?  Bring them to the Lord and invite Him to minister there.

Prayer:

Lord God, You know my areas of aching and longing. I open them to You now and ask You to enter into them with Your Light and Love and Life. Amen.

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