Have you ever wondered what the purpose
is of temptations? Are they really just some mean-spirited scheme of God’s to
catch us up and then say, “Aha! Gotcha?” Does the devil really prowl about,
seeking someone to devour? Why was the devil waiting for Jesus in the
wilderness? And even worse, why would the Spirit lead Jesus into the wilderness in the first place?
I’d like us to wonder about some things today. Maybe the
reason for temptations is to help us sort out who we are and what we are
supposed to be doing.
People have temptations every day.
There are always things that are hard to resist. Material things we don’t need
sing a siren song called “Buy me, buy me.” Things of the spirit are after us
with temptations as well. For those of us who can afford them, retreats,
getaways to beautiful spiritual centers and monasteries, trips to various
sacred sites beckon us while at the same time we hear the cries of the poor.
Books and internet sites, compilations of artwork for centering prayer,
paintings and icons and home shrines for prayer wave their little artistic
hands at us, calling, calling, “Come with me. Be deeper spiritually. I might be
the way and the truth. How will you know until you try me?”
These temptations are what we might
call middle-class, first-world temptations. These are not unique to us, but
there are a lot of them. And what might be their purpose?
The Spirit drove out Jesus into the
wilderness. And most of us, if we are honest, have had our wilderness
experiences too. There have been times we have languished in the dry fallow
places wondering just what it was we were doing there. Maybe today finds you in
one of those places.
I’m going to encourage you to stay in
that place for as long as it takes. Because the more I think about temptations
and the wilderness, the more convinced I am that their purpose is to help us to
recognize who we are.
Everything Jesus said “no” to in the
wilderness was something that called him away from his purpose, from the reason
he was created as the Son of God, the one bearing salvation to the world. All
the powers of evil conspired to a pinpoint in a devil in the wilderness and
Jesus had to decide who he was.
Perhaps our particular spiritual
temptations have something important to say to us. Who has God created us to
be? What is it God has for us to do? And how do those temptations keep us from
being who God created us to be? How do those temptations keep us from doing
what God is calling us to do?
Let’s start here. Today. And together
during this Lent rediscover: Who are we? Why are we here? What should we be
doing?
And let’s say “no” to the various
temptations beckoning us away from who we believe we are.
- · The temptation of distraction.
- · The temptation of dissatisfaction.
- · The temptation of complaining.
- · The temptation of micromanaging and failing to leave the Spirit room to inspire.
- · The temptation of doing it our way and only our way.
- · And dare I say it? The temptation of grumpiness?
It is only by saying “no” to those temptations that we will
discover the deeper “yes” God is calling is to become and to do.
When you find yourself in the desert:
Listen. Listen and say, “no” to the things that draw you away from who God
created you to be.
And then listen and say, “yes” to the things that God
created you to be. Listen and say, “yes” to the things God is calling you to
do. These are things to which you must say
“yes.” You have no other choice because God has created them so only you can do them. Only you have this purpose. In the company of
others God called you for this
purpose. Answer this purpose in the way Jesus answered God in the wilderness,
by saying “no” to temptation and “yes” to God.
The Rev Nicolette Papanek
©2016
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