Daily Reading: Gen 9; Mat 4:1-11
Memory Verse: But he
answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
(Matthew 4:4 esv)
I don’t like fasting. There, I said it. This Biblical habit
that Jesus practices and told us to practice of doing without food for a day or
more just isn’t fun. My stomach growls at me and complains. My energy wanes and
my thoughts about food increase.
In this passage, Jesus was fasting for an extended period.
And because Jesus practiced this habit, I do it sometimes because I’m following
Him. And although my body doesn’t like it, I find out at least two things by
doing it:
1.
I discover how
big of an idol food and my comfort really is. It’s only when we deny
ourselves of something that we find how much we love it. Like the alcoholic who
says, “I can quit drinking anytime,” but never does because he’s in denial. The
day he does without he finds out how much alcohol really has him. When I say no
to morning breakfast or lunch at Panera’s, I discover how much food really has
me. Since I want God to have more of me, this neglected practice of fasting, of
giving up food now and then, makes a lot of sense.
2.
My mind is
clearer to listen to God. Although, thoughts of food do creep in, when you
fast you will find that you will think more clearly. I may hear God’s voice
more clearly. The Scriptures, the true living bread, will jump of the page. Often,
there will be a heightened sensitivity to the spiritual world. And this is the
point.
As Jesus fasted, Satan tempted him first with stomach food.
Jesus responded with Scripture He had memorized as a young boy, Deuteronomy
31:8, “…Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the
mouth of God.” Jesus recognized something we forget, We need food to survive, but God’s living Word is what makes us thrive.
The reason that many are surviving but not thriving is this: they eat food everyday but they don’t eat God’s Word. They never say “no” to their stomach, but they say “no” to the daily meal of God’s Word. The solution? Eat food to live. Eat God’s Word to thrive. By this we do not mean just daily Bible reading. I also mean that bit of God’s Word that He makes alive to you, that you meditate and think about beyond that time set aside for daily Bible reading.
Let’s open the scriptures daily like we are feeding our soul. Devour it. You haven’t fasted? Start by giving up one meal and use that time to “eat” God’s Word. Listen. Reflect. Journal. Meditate. That’s how we move from surviving to thriving.
Prayer: Father, give me eyes to see how I need Your Word to thrive. Increase my appetite for what You would say to me. Give me ears to hear Your voice. Jesus, You are the Word made flesh. Live in me. Grow in me. Cause me to come alive by the Holy Spirit.
For further reflection: How did Jesus respond to temptation and can we learn from His experience? Examine Matthew 4:1-11.
With each temptation, Jesus responded beginning with three powerful words: “It is written.” God’s Word has power like no other. In Ephesians 6, God’s Word is called the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17). Jesus knew the Scriptures and He used it as a sword to defeat the Enemy.
Your best defense like in other arenas of life, is a good offense. When you are tempted, use God’s Word to gain victory over temptation. This means that we must have at least some of the Scripture in the arsenal of our mind.
What scriptures do you need to know to defeat the temptations you are struggling with? Use tools you can find in most study Bibles like a concordance or topical chain reference. Or go to a website like www.bible.cc and look up topics so you are prepared for battle.
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