Resisting Temptation

We are pausing reading the Bible beginning to end for Lent and a theme of Encounters with Jesus. Today’s scripture is the story of the temptations of Jesus at the end of his forty days of fasting in the wilderness. The tempter appears and first tempts Jesus with food – turn these stones into bread. The Rev. Erin Racine says it then becomes a battle of scriptures, with the tempter quoting scriptures with the temptations and Jesus responding with other scripture. In each case, as he is tempted Jesus chooses self-control over power. Temptations for us don’t often show up as a figure with a pitchfork and forked tail, but are more insidious and grab us when we forget we are loved by God. We need to realize temptations are often the products of hunger and longing, and they come with choices. As Jesus trusted his temptations to God and was served by angels, we must trust our temptations to the Messiah. When Jesus left the wilderness, he went out to preach, and we, too, are called to be witnesses in the world.