Fallout

Devotion by: Kathy Zimmerman

Matthew 4:1-11

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” ’

Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you”, and “On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” ’

Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour; and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.” ’ Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

“I can sell the beat, I’m asking for the check, girl with crimson nails has Jesus ‘round her neck, swinging to the music….” Bono and U2 point out the struggle of our human lives in their song, Vertigo, as they sing about the dizzying effect of things that tempt us. In the same song, they sing of the magnificent love of God our Father. “I can feel your love teaching me…how to kneel.” They sing of the “vertigo” feeling that comes with having everything for the taking and the peace that comes with kneeling to our Lord.

Temptation is everywhere, and it has gotten the better of us all. Just a few hours ago, I had a second piece of cake after dinner when I had no business having a first piece. What about submission to temptation of greater consequence? Do we find ourselves lying, cheating, stealing to get through our day? Perhaps the temptation to take the path of least resistance, even if it involves sinful behavior, is just too overwhelming sometimes.

Who has faced more temptation than Jesus, after forty days of fasting in the desert? The devil came to him and challenged him to turn stone into bread, challenged him to throw himself from the highest point of the temple, and challenged him to turn away from his Father in exchange for command of all that he could see. Imagine how good it would feel to shut this Satan up, let alone receive the promised riches. Yet Jesus remained steadfast in his love of God. “Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only” (Matthew 4:10).

When we succumb to temptation, the fallout is not far behind. Perhaps it is the unquenchable need to have more. Or perhaps it’s the guilt of knowing that we have not served God well. Whatever it is, it is never worth it. The debt for our weakness was paid by the One who stared down the greatest temptation, by the One who hung on the cross. To resist sinful temptation is to thank Him for that ultimate sacrifice He made for us.

PRAYER: Dear God, I pray that as I go through each minute of each day, I will feel the sacrifice made for me and I will have the strength to resist the temptation of sin’s fruit. I ask this in the name of your blessed son, Jesus Christ. Amen.