Fed!

Fed!

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Matthew 4:4 KJV

It was fitting, in line with the will of God, that the one who would deal with sin in our lives, to experience firsthand the temptations that we would also have to deal with. He was led of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted; it was intentional, not accidental. How else would the author of salvation prove the value of His ministry and assignment without dealing with the eternal effects of sin, pride and self? That must have been just a few of the reasons why Jesus had to undergo these personal experiences. 

Of course, after fasting for 40 days and nights, He would be hungry. Of course, the most immediate need of a hungry man is that which will satisfy the hunger. The devil knew this, and of course, his first temptation was related to food. But he couched his temptation in very insidious terms: "if you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread". First of all, Jesus was the Son of God, and could command anything to become anything. But what would be the value of just proving something that was already true; would it be a power trip or show off? Jesus' response here proves a few points: 

1. Having power isn't the same as showing off power. One who is comfortable in his state needs not remind people of what s/he has. The world has taught us showoff, and we have embraced the physical and the audible at the expense of the power of the inner witness. We want the world to know, recognise and celebrate us, forgetting that these are not the true measures of impact. 

2. There is a place for bread that nourishes the physical body, and a place for the bread that nourishes the spiritual body. That is why today's extract uses the words: 'not live by bread ALONE'. Both are different from each other, and one cannot satisfy the cravings of the other. No matter how much of physical bread I eat, it will not take the place of the need for spiritual food. On the other hand, there is a place for fasting, prayer and spiritual exercises, and there is a place for me to take the food that will nourish and keep me alive and healthy. Do I know the place of each one? Am I focused only on that which goes into the belly that I forget that which needs to go into the spiritual man? 

3. The Word of God is central and fundamental to my development and growth as a Christian. It is not just any kind of word, but that which God alone produces. The source has to be the mouth of God, not the product of my own mind or feelings. Too many times, we rely on what makes us comfortable or complacent, but God will always seek to make us like Him. His desire and purpose are to build us up to becoming people He can trust with the deep mysteries of His Word. His Word is Jesus Himself; it is Life and Peace and Joy to all who find Him. Can you really ignore the Word of God and settle only for that which goes into the belly and then out of the body as waste? 

I need both, and must make room for both. When the devil wants me to show off, I must remember that proving a point isn't necessary; what matters is that the light of God's Word shines in and out of me. I must be careful not to indulge my natural life at the expense of the spiritual. Both must be fed with the food that is appropriate for each nature, and to the right degree and time. Imagine if Jesus had not understood the right time for physical food. May the Lord help me today to know the right time, situation and circumstances for all that I need for life and Godliness. His time of favour is here.