Friday, February 28, 2003
Friday, February 28, 2003
Jesus answered him, "It is said, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" When
the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.
Did you know that over eight million children disappeared in the United States between 1987 and
1990. The year 1987 marked the first time the IRS required proof that children claimed as
dependents actually existed. After that, many children started disappearing from income tax
forms. Temptation.
Some years ago a hearing clinic at Northwestern University ran some experiments on words
that are hard to hear. One of the very hard words to hear, they discovered, is the word no.
Temptation. For all of us a reality. The question is: who will we allow to control our hearts?
Jesus? Or the temptations of life?
(Luke 4.12-
13
NRSV)
Luke's telling of the temptation of Jesus ends with these words: "the devil left him, to return at the
appointed time." (Luke 4) Temptation. It's a real force in our lives.
Lord Jesus, fill my heart with your love and grace, and keep me from giving into my temptations.
Amen.
