And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’ Luke 4:5-8
If I’m struck with a disease no one can cure, I feel powerless. If I’m trapped in a loveless marriage, I feel powerless. If I’m languishing under a mountain of debt and there is no way to repay it, I feel powerless.
Powerlessness drives me to edge of utter despair. Feeling powerless is not a sin but what I choose to believe next determines whether faith will live or die.
Was Jesus struck with the temptation to feel powerless? I suspect the answer is yes when I consider that a wilderness is not something anyone can control. Jesus was powerless against a place with no water, no food, and no shelter. Powerlessness was another one of Satan’s attacks against Jesus. Just as Satan wanted Him to feed Himself prematurely by turning stones to bread, He also wanted Jesus to assume power and authority prematurely so there would be no need to go to the cross. But Jesus knew that suffering comes before glory.
Was He tempted to ease the pain of powerlessness by taking Satan’s bait? If He was tempted in every way that we are, I believe the answer is yes. But He understood that the avenue to this premature authority would mean satanic worship. Jesus, once again, saw through the lure, chose suffering, and quoted scripture to silence His tempter. He served the enemy legal papers by reminding him that there is only one God to worship.
Many never pray until they feel powerless. There is only One who is mighty to save when all else fails. Waiting for His salvation is the hard part. We never know if God’s saving hand will be immediate or deferred. We know that in some cases, our own glory also comes after suffering.
In whatever ways you are tempted to give up waiting on God today to go for some man-made, Satan-endorsed, remedy….stop. Your way of coping simply might be to stop hoping and to succumb to numbing despair. But those who hope in God will never be put to shame. Each of us could benefit by looking into the face of what traps us today to declare the following ~ “I am small and powerless but I rest in the hands of my powerful God. Never have I been safer. Never have I had a greater panorama of options.”
I don’t need to see. You look over the top of my cage and plan my victory. Amen
What if there were a new book released entitled, ‘One Thousand New Discoveries on the Person of Jesus?’ It would be a worldwide best seller. But for what reason would it fly off the shelves? I’m convinced that many unbelievers would buy it for pure historic value. Jesus is the most influential person ever to have lived. But many believers would purchase it so that they could learn interesting tidbits to share at their next Bible Study. Sadly, they comprise the disciples who thrive at being reporters.
Nancy is the one who suggested a makeover. I’d never thought of it. Imagine my excitement when I discovered I could strip the chandelier down to the frame and replace all the parts. I was even able to buy a lot of lead crystals for almost no money from a lighting store that posted a small palette of crystals on eBay. So here’s the thing. When stripped bare, the frame turned out to be a real antique and quite stunning. Then, everything I added to it just made it more beautiful. By the time I began to add the crystals, I was almost speechless as I saw my chandelier come to life. The crystals even glistened in the moonlight that shone through the window. It’s the most fun I’ve had creating something in a long time.
David asks for God’s help in today’s scripture. He petitions for spiritual understanding of the scriptures so that he will be able to meditate in a heartfelt way. Understanding precedes meditation. Truth must always be a heart thing!
Do you know someone who expresses no remorse? They are simply unable to recognize what their sin against another causes. Many wives and husbands are cruel to each other. Hurtful things are said and treacherous things are done. When the one who feels betrayed speaks up, backs up, and expresses pain, remorse is absent. But when the pain of consequences is felt, a token “Sorry!” is expressed. There is an expectation that everything should be back to normal. He, or she, fails to know the repercussions of his actions.
Lord, forgive us for looking to broken cisterns for living water. As your children, we may live wanting, groaning for your kingdom to come, but we will not be crippled by uncertainty. We will not succumb to the anxiety of second guessing our future. Our leaders disappoint us but You rule perfectly. Our joy and confidence is in Your Kingship. Each of us pray this out loud today until our whole beings believe it.
The ambassador leaves. He makes his home in China, or Pakistan, or Kenya. He does not look like anyone else nor truly live like anyone else there. He abides by the laws of his new country but he is not a citizen. He promotes and executes the policies of his country back home. He speaks on behalf of the president, on behalf of the government, knowing that as he exerts his rule, his leaders back home back him up. As long as he acts in accordance with his country’s principles, he is protected.
I remember when Jesus’ identity was questioned. He claimed that God was his Father. The religious leaders were indignant, calling him a liar. If Jesus had not been perfect, He could have easily risen up to defend himself the way we often do. “How dare you question my word! I told you that God was my Father and I am His Son. You apparently have no idea who you’re talking to!” Anyone other than Jesus would have been tempted to stand in the pride of his celebrity status. This temptation would have bitten most children of men.
