February 15
"And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him." -Mark 1:12-13 (NRSV)
Jesus' time of temptation is usually remembered and emphasized on Ash Wednesday which is a day that marks the beginning of Lent. The specific day it appears on our solar calendar varies widely from year to year, but it remains a sacred time for believers who can identify with Jesus by fasting and drawing closer to God in prayer for the 40 days before Easter. This time of Lenten spiritual devotion can offer us a time of healing and preparation as it did Jesus. Yet we may wonder why was it necessary for Jesus to be tempted? First, temptation is part of our human experience. For Christ to understand us completely, he had to face and conquer temptation so that he can help us overcome any temptation. Satan may tempt us. Christ knows the way out of any tempting situation we may be facing! Although Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he did not succeed in any way and never persuaded him to sin or deny God. To be tempted is never a sin. This is a reality we will all face at some time in our lives. Yet Jesus showed us if we stand fast on God's word and the power of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome temptation with God's help.
Secondly, temptation made Jesus stronger just as it can also make us stronger and more alert. Without the temptation experience in the wilderness, Jesus could never have been prepared for the grueling demands of his mission and ministry. He came forth from that wilderness a stronger soldier of God both spiritually purified and emotionally prepared to withstand whatever befell him. Because Jesus faced temptations and overcame them, he can assist us in two vital ways: (1) as an example of how to face temptation without sinning, (2) as a helper who knows what we need because he went through the same experiences. No matter what wilderness experience you may be going through, remember Christ is stronger and walks by your side waiting to help if you only ask!
Prayer: Lord, Stand by me in my wilderness seasons. Amen.
Meditation For The Day: Temptation can become God's Revelation.
Brief Devotions For Busy Lives: Daily Winter Renewal Paperback – November 25, 2017, by Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson (Author)
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