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Desert Survival by the Word of the Lord

He Spake and it was Done II by Sandra Bowden. The surrounding text is from Psalm 33, "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made . . .For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm."

Remember how Satan teased him? "If you are the Son of God . . . " (Luke 4:3, 9 NCV).
Why would Satan say this? Because he knew what Christ had heard at the baptism. "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased" (Matthew 3:17 NASB).

"Are you really God's Son?" Satan is asking. Then comes the dare - "Prove it!" Prove it by doing something:

"Tell this stone to become bread" (Luke 4:3 NASB)
"If You worship before me, it shall all be Yours" (v.7).
"Throw Yourself down from here" (v.9).

What subtle seduction! Satan doesn't denounce God; he simply raises doubts about God. Is his work enough? Earthly works - like bread changing or temple jumping - are given equal billing with heavenly works. He attempts to shift, ever so gradually, our source of confidence away from God's promise and toward our performance.

Jesus doesn't bite the bait. No heavenly sign is requested. He doesn't solicit a lightning bolt; he simply quotes the Bible. . . . Jesus' survival weapon of choice is Scripture. If the Bible was enough for his wilderness, shouldn't it be enough for ours? Don't miss the point here: Everything you and I need for desert survival is the Book.

- Max Lucado, from His Name Is Jesus: The Promise of God's Love Fulfilled

Posted by Susan Wunderink on March 4, 2009 12:00 AM

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