Matthew 4:1-11… “Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” vs. 10
Having savored the love and the goodness of God in his baptism Jesus was led into the wilderness for a taste of the world’s brokenness. And as he prayed and fasted, he pondered the direction of his ministry. There were so many possibilities. We know this part of the story well. Everywhere we look there are tests and temptations, all promising the best that the world can offer.
In Matthew’s account of Jesus’ wilderness stay, the temptations are whittled down to the big three: satisfaction of personal desires, fame and fortune, and unlimited power. None of them appear to be particularly evil, and many of us eagerly adopt one or more of them as a part of our personal aspirations. But Jesus saw them all as diversions, symptoms of brokenness masquerading as good. None of them met the standards of the peaceable kingdom he had been called to establish.
In the end Jesus chose the path of humility and service, saying no to creature comforts, popularity, and domination. He determined that he would be a servant and look to his loving God for daily direction in bringing healing and restoration to the world. He would model the sacrificial love of God even if it meant that he would die! And in his life, death, and resurrection, salvation has come to our good and broken world.
Thought for the Day: What have been my aspirations?
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