Tempting....

"Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'one does not live by bread alone.'""  (Luke 4:4)

So.......  What did you think of when you saw "tempting"?  The cookie you couldn't pass up?  The bread pudding I saw someone decide on for "breakfast" recently?  The piece of cake you did pass on?  The _______  (fill in the blank) you saw and thought of buying?  Or, maybe, the Lenten discipline you thought of but aren't sure you are really ready to try?  There is one other "tempting" to be thinking about....  Several times in my working life I have had "temp jobs."  Sometimes they lasted for a couple of days, sometimes for a couple of weeks, but all of us knew it was only temporary. 

Jesus has just been baptized, by John, and is preparing to start his ministry.  He, at least ( we aren't told if others heard as well),  has heard God's voice saying "You are my Son whom I love; with you I am well pleased."  (Luke 3:22)  Jesus knows what God is calling him to, how God loves him and the need to stay close to God.  He is "full of the Holy Spirit" and was "led by the Spirit" (Luke 4:1) into the wilderness "for forty days" (v. 2)  This time is spent praying, fasting and listening for God's guidance even as the devil temps Jesus to do things because "You are the Son of God." (v.3)  The interesting thing is Jesus answers with Scripture -- "it is written." (v. 4)  Jesus knows the Scripture, remembers the Scripture and uses the Scripture to answer the tempter and the temptation.  Do we know Scripture that well?

The Lenten disciplines are to help us grow stronger in our relationship with God, through Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Yes, the discipline is "only" a "temp" time but, prayerfully, it will become a strengthening time.  Prayerfully it will give us, especially as Caregivers, the strength we need to continue to face all of the challenges going on around us.  Something to think about......