February 10, 2008

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.   First Sunday in Lent   .

Please read

Matthew 4:1-11

Read also

Genesis 2:15-17

Genesis 3:1-7

Psalm 32

Romans 5:12-19

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.   He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished.

The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread."  But he answered, "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me."  Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! for it is written, 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.'"

.    Into the Wilderness….

Clever, this wilderness tempter,

knowing all the right buttons to push,

and sugar-coating each temptation

with scripture.

It didn’t work with Jesus,

and by his grace

it will not work with me.

When the devil comes my way,

turning any setting

into a rock-strewn wilderness,

I must remember

that we are not there alone,

Satan and I, 

for I have been led

to this time, this place

by the Spirit.

And the same resource

that equipped the man from Nazareth

is at my disposal.

So I will arm myself with prayer

And defend myself with Scripture,

the Spirit’s Sword,

parrying each clever satanic thrust

with the divine Word.

And with each invitation

to indulge my appetite,

or exercise power,

or enjoy the adulation of the crowd,

I shall refuse the tempter’s ploy. 

And when the day is done,

I will say, "Away with you, Satan!”

and banish the tempter for a time,

and return from my wilderness

to worship the Lord my God,

and serve only him,

with joyous satisfaction.

--- rvc

*** D I S C L A I M E R ***

The Weekly Lessons are based on the lectionary texts for the week – usually the Gospel lesson. They are not designed as a formal commentary.  Rather, they are the personal reflections and original compositions of The Relay Online editor, Rev. Robin Van Cleef, and offer a jumping off point, using the scriptures as triggers to thought, imagination, and (we hope) empowerment.  As you read them, let your own imagination play, and let the Spirit speak to you, leading you where it will.  The Gospel Lessons reflected on this site may not be copied, reproduced or otherwise manipulated elsewhere on the internet without the expressed consent of the author.  Please also note that while we're unable to quote Bible scripture on these pages, it is permissible to redirect our viewers to Bible passages using hyperlinks to web sites having that authority.  The Verse Of The Day and BibleGateway Search engine are the property on BibleGateway.com and are used here with their specific permission.

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