And [the devil] took [Jesus] to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written,
“‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ and
“‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”
And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Luke 4:9-12
The devil took Jesus to the Holy City, to the Holy Temple, to the highest position in the temple, and tempted Him with sensation. “Perform a marvelous feat! Show God’s power by putting it on display! Exploit the miraculous!” Think of the tickets you could sell!
Once again, Jesus reply reveals the true motive of the devil’s test: to “prove” God. If God is real, if you are the beloved, then He will be obligated to perform according to our interpretation and/or manipulation of His Word. Jesus’ response denied the devil’s attempt to exploit God’s power.
When the expression of our faith becomes an avenue for the sensational. When our prayer life becomes demand instead worship. When we begin to believe that we are entitled to specify God’s performance according to our own interpretation of His Word, then we have lost sight of true faith. We do not test God, we trust God. We do not demand that the Almighty “back our play,” we humbly submit to His Will. We must beware of the danger of entitlement thinking, of believing that God is somehow obligated to respond the way we have decided or concocted. We must guard against the creeping idea that God serves us.
Let’s Do Something About It
· Ask the Holy Spirit to examine your motives and goals. Are you seeking sensational or humbleness in your faith?
· Honestly consider, who is calling the shots in your faith life? Are you expecting God to respond to your agenda, plans, or expectations, or are you submitting to His agenda, plans, and will? Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you into an attitude of worship.
No comments:
Post a Comment