Reading: Matthew 3, 4
My Verse: "Then the devil left him,
and behold,
angels came and were ministering to him" (Matthew 4:11).
The juxtaposition between our physical and spiritual being is fascinating. Here Matthew reveals a very active interaction between the physical and spiritual realms.
We are physical beings and need to care for these amazing physical bodies. But we are also spiritual beings and have spiritual needs that we also need to care for.
Here we are told after Jesus fasted for "forty days and forty nights" he was sorely tempted by the devil. The devil offered him physical things - bread, freedom from physical harm, and all the world before his eyes.
Jesus countered each temptation with scripture focusing on the spiritual needs:
When Satan offered bread in a taunt, Jesus responded -
"But he answered, It is written
Thou shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).
When offered freedom from physical harm again in a taunt, Jesus responded -
"Again, it is written,
You shall not put the LORD your God to the test" (Matthew 4:7).
When offered all that he could see with his eyes if he (Jesus) would fall down and
worship Satan Jesus responded -
"Be gone, Satan!
For it is written,
You shall worship the LORD your God
and him only shall you serve" (Matthew 4:10)
After that terrible ordeal, "angels came and were ministering to him." Jesus was God and yet man. He was in human form and his body needed care just as our does. But because he was God angels did come to care for his physical needs.
This passage emphasizes the need to nurture not only my physical needs but also my spiritual needs. Many try to live out their lives ignoring the spiritual and find a deep emptiness - an emptiness that one cannot fill with physical things.
By ignoring the spiritual one tends to become involved in things contrary to Your laws, LORD God. We want so much to fill that emptiness that we will allow ourselves to push aside our conscience and slowly but surely spiral downward and away from you.
Thank you for this wonderful reminder that there is so much more to this world than what I can see with my eyes! And thank you for this story of how Jesus dealt with temptation. Help me to turn my eyes ever to you in my deepest needs - both physical and spiritual.
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
My Verse: "Then the devil left him,
and behold,
angels came and were ministering to him" (Matthew 4:11).
The juxtaposition between our physical and spiritual being is fascinating. Here Matthew reveals a very active interaction between the physical and spiritual realms.
We are physical beings and need to care for these amazing physical bodies. But we are also spiritual beings and have spiritual needs that we also need to care for.
Here we are told after Jesus fasted for "forty days and forty nights" he was sorely tempted by the devil. The devil offered him physical things - bread, freedom from physical harm, and all the world before his eyes.
Jesus countered each temptation with scripture focusing on the spiritual needs:
When Satan offered bread in a taunt, Jesus responded -
"But he answered, It is written
Thou shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).
When offered freedom from physical harm again in a taunt, Jesus responded -
"Again, it is written,
You shall not put the LORD your God to the test" (Matthew 4:7).
When offered all that he could see with his eyes if he (Jesus) would fall down and
worship Satan Jesus responded -
"Be gone, Satan!
For it is written,
You shall worship the LORD your God
and him only shall you serve" (Matthew 4:10)
After that terrible ordeal, "angels came and were ministering to him." Jesus was God and yet man. He was in human form and his body needed care just as our does. But because he was God angels did come to care for his physical needs.
This passage emphasizes the need to nurture not only my physical needs but also my spiritual needs. Many try to live out their lives ignoring the spiritual and find a deep emptiness - an emptiness that one cannot fill with physical things.
By ignoring the spiritual one tends to become involved in things contrary to Your laws, LORD God. We want so much to fill that emptiness that we will allow ourselves to push aside our conscience and slowly but surely spiral downward and away from you.
Thank you for this wonderful reminder that there is so much more to this world than what I can see with my eyes! And thank you for this story of how Jesus dealt with temptation. Help me to turn my eyes ever to you in my deepest needs - both physical and spiritual.
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
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