Scripture: Luke 4:2
There he was tempted for forty days by the devil. He ate nothing during those days and afterward Jesus was starving.
Thought for the Day: This is a portion of scripture from Sunday’s sermon. This verse suggests that Jesus was tempted by the devil. The Greek word we translate as devil in this case is Diabolos. What’s interesting is how the word is not a noun, but an adjective. It would be a word that is usually used to clarify or expound upon a noun. We might say, “The old person sang a song.” Old is the adjective, but what if we just started saying, “The old sang a song.” First, it sounds a bit strange. Second, it leaves us a bit confused in regard to what is old. Could it be that those telling the story did not want us to think of a person or human-like entity when thinking of the Diabolos. The word Diabolos might best be translated as slanderous,, as in, “The slanderous commercial brought a lawsuit.” It makes me wonder if it is better to think of the Diabolos, not as a single entity, but as a power that is both external and internal – a force beyond a single body that seems to always be present and attempting to shape our thinking about self, life, others and God in a way that is unhealthy and destructive.
Prayer: There is so much that is contrary to you and your grace, O Lord. Each day, I encounter utterances that seek to devalue who I am and who others are. Some of these utterances are spoken by other people, others are seen in the work of groups, and still others come from within me. This is why I need you every hour of every day. This is why I need you around me, ahead of me, behind me and within me. May this day provide opportunities for me to strengthen my relationship with you. Amen.
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The Temptations Of Jesus
