the 1st sunday in lent
the PRAYER …
O Lord God, you led your people through the wilderness and brought them to the promised land. Guide us now, so that, following your Son, we may walk safely through the wilderness of this world toward the life you alone can give, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
the READING …
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. luke 4:1-13
the DEVOTION …
“Conceived by the Spirit; born of the virgin!” Those are words we say just about every time we get together. Unfortunately, they don’t resonate much beyond Christmas. But there’s more to them than that. They don’t just tell us how Jesus came to be. They tell us who Jesus is! Son of God and Son of Man, as the song says! Human! Divine! Totally one! Completely the other!
Well, I got to thinking about that, this week. I’ve always understood this passage as the earthly Jesus being tempted to be more heavenly. To choose glory over cross. But what if it’s just the opposite? What if it’s the heavenly Jesus being tempted to stay heavenly? Up high and far away! All powerful! All knowing! In charge! In control! Just like we expect! Maybe, even, like we prefer? And Jesus says, “No thank you” Most gods prefer to be kings. Lording it over! Being tyrants! But not ours! Our god – Jesus – would rather love than be loved! He’d, rather, give his life as a ransom! A ransom for many! A ransom for all!