Our Father who art in Heaven
Hallowed be thy name
Thy kingdom come
Thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
Forgive our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us
Lead us not into temptation….
Lead us not into temptation?
Who? God? Maybe not.
Certainly, He doesn’t lead people into temptation; His Holiness would unmistakably never allow Him to lead anyone into a situation where they will be enticed to sin. James 1v13 clearifies that - “Let no one say when he is being tempted ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone”.
Yet He may boast with His children, aignt it? (As in the case of Job?). Job was sitting on his own jejely when God began to boast with him…….and eventually set him up for a classic triple-T session (test, temptation & trial).
Has He boasted with me? Will He boast with me? Could this be why we need to pray “lead me not into temptation”? Maybe.
Please lead me not into temptation, I pray.
I probably know the way in there myself. If I would need help, I guess it will be to save me from myself, for the good that I would I do not……….….Romans 7:18 - 19
Apostle Paul understands this. And I like him. Jesus too.
Jesus was human; God-made-flesh, of like passion I am told, and dwelt amongst us. But did he truly feel the same way as us? For instance, did He experience the same temptations as I do now? Was He ever attracted to any of the women that flocked around Him? Was He tempted with cutting corners? Was He tempted at all?
Yes, I recall reading He was “led” into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
But wait, Tempted? Is this word from the original Greek version? Is it suitable in this context (given that no thanks to translations the original meanings of some words have been eroded, and also that the words temptation, test, and trials have been interchangeably used)?
A closer look at the scenario may just confirm the usage was appropriate, if nothing, at least in the way Jesus responded in the last scene.
Here I see Him confronted with a tangible promise; a shortcut to His destiny and purpose on earth; an offer that a mere mortal would probably have considered. But it wasn’t in His character to cut corners. And thankfully, He knew just when not to ‘reason’ with the devil. And rather than wait for the tempting grill to get hot, He forthrightly rebuked the devil.
Perhaps we need to do this sort of rebuking more; not to batter words or reason with the devil. An outright “get thee behind me satan!” may just be all we need to overcome that tempting thought?
Okay, so Jesus was “led” into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. The question is who led Him? And why was the temptation necessary? Really.
brb.
5 comments:
I note that Jesus was "confirmed" the Son of God just before being "led" into the wilderness....see Matt 3:17
"And Lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Now,in principle,if He is the Son of God,would it not be correct to state that He could only have been led by the Spirit of God, who i'm clear is also God......Rom 8:14
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God"
So?
He was led by God into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
Really?
I'm gonna get a dessert and be right back....
Hmm....food for thot here!
And I'm wondering, all those times i was tempted, was i "led" to be tempted?
When does He "lead" someone to be tempted?
Meditating further on this matter, I’m learning that "being tempted of the devil" is like a necessary exam that we all as God's children must go thru to get promoted to the next level…just like students.
The gud thing is dat God is both a good God and a Loving father. A real one at that.
A real father would allow his ward take due exams; usually after he must have provided the necessary educational material. Same with God; He doesn’t allow us go thru an exam He hasn’t prepared us for.
A real father does not write tests and exams for his children out of love or because they are afraid of sitting for them. Instead, knowing that he’s provided what he should, and encouraged the child to study adequately, and even gone the extra mile to assist with tutorials, he drives the child to school on the d-day and encourages him/her to go in there and make him proud! That’s what real fathers do…..much more God who is the best of them all real fathers.
He will not prevent the devil from tempting us YET He will never allow us tempted beyond what we’re able to take……in Job’s case, He boasted with Job because HE KNEW that Job had over the years learnt the lessons/truths that equips us against the fiery darts of the devil (doubts). He allowed all those nasty experiences the devil hauled at Job because HE ALSO KNEW that Job could take it.
Like He did to Jesus in Matt 4, He may lead us into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil but only because He’s certain we have what it takes to overcome him. The idea is NEVER to ridicule us or knock us down…..far from it.
In reality, when we pray “Led us not into temptation BUT deliver us from evil”, we’re actually saying “Lord, it’s inconsequential or a small matter to be led into temptation (because you have done your part in equipping us to pass the test, and surely we CAN pass the test), we can lead ourselves in there for the test or exam. Where we have issues is the EVIL that is in this world. We live here and we know that the devil is currently the ruler of this world. Yet, because THINE IS THE KINGDOM, THE POWER and THE GLORY, FOREVER and EVER, preserve us in your good pleasure as you have promised in your Holy word. This is the spirit behind the prayer.
Selah.
Hmm....I'm gonna check on this.....kind of makes sense.
Welldone but please update as often as u can.
Bless u.
Hey y'all....Isn't it possible that the word meant in Matt 4:1 is "trial"?....so that it reads "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit to be tried of the devil"
I understand that trial passes for an overwhelming trouble, and i think that this in a way captures the experience Jesus went thru in the wilderness. What do u think? Txs.
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