A story for the 1st Sunday in Lent: Jesus is tempted in the wild place
(From the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 4, verses 1-11)
When Jesus was baptized, he heard God say, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." After his baptism, Jesus went with God into a place that was so wild that no one lived there - except the Devil. Jesus went to this wild place to spend sometime considering what it meant to be God's Son, the Beloved.
There was very little food or water in the wild place. After 40 days and 40 nights in that place, Jesus was starving.
That's when the Devil decided to come for a visit.
The Devil approached, carrying two large rocks. "You look hungry," he said to Jesus. "If you really are God's Son, why don't you turn these stones into loaves of bread?" And he held them out to Jesus.
Jesus looked at them. He thought about how good a warm loaf of bread would taste. Then he answered, "Bread isn't the only thing that keeps people alive. God's words do, too."
The Devil dropped the rocks and took Jesus to the Holy City and put him on the highest part of roof on the Temple. Jesus looked down and felt dizzy. They were up so high that the people in the court yard below looked really small. The Devil grabbed onto him and said, "If you really are God's Son, jump! Surely God will send angels to catch you before you hit the ground."
Jesus swayed back and forth. He looked at the Devil. "Don't test God," he told him.
Then the Devil took Jesus to a very high mountain. He turned Jesus in a full circle. The view was breathtaking. Everywhere they looked there were villages teeming with people, fields with cattle and crops, roads and waterways, great buildings where leaders did their work.
The Devil put one arm across Jesus' shoulders and waved the other in a big swish across the horizon. "You can be in charge of everything you see," he told Jesus. "All you have to do is kneel down and worship me."
Jesus pulled away. "Get away from me, Satan! Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him."
The Devil knew when he was beat, so he left. And then angels came and took care of Jesus.
Questions to think about:
I wonder if you have ever been alone in a wild place. What was that like for you?
I wonder what the Devil looks like.
I wonder what temptations you struggle with.