“The wilderness of temptation” is a 425 square mile desert between the Dead Sea and Jerusalem.
To this day it is mostly uninhabited – – a desolate place with large hills, deep ravines, dry crusty soil, minimal vegetation, and dangers galore.
This is the area that Jesus was thrown into by the spirit. It was here he would be tested…in many different ways…
It is a very private story … which only Jesus himself could have revealed, otherwise none of us – could ever have known.
And the scriptures record – that Satan appeared to Jesus and repeatedly tested him with a “series of temptations.”
And we are still being tempted today!
Everybody gets tempted…
Some tests are smaller…
Some are larger…
But all of them matter…
All of them are important…
Life at best is always challenging…
Every morning when we arise we are presented with all kinds of choices laid out before us…
Today, I got this…bring it on…
Today, I am going to be a person of great faith.
Today, I refuse to be grumpy or petty!
Today, I refuse to have a pity party.
Today, I will be loving, caring and forgiving.
Today, I am going to be optimistic, because my cup runneth over…
Today, I am going to be pleasant…and kind.
Today, I am going to avoid all negativism.
Today I choose to be thankful and grateful for everything.
Today, I am going to trust God whole-heartedly…
Today, I am empowered. I am more than adequate. I am enough.
Today, I am not going to worry about anything…because worry gets you no where.
Today, I am going to be so even tempered…that nothing will be able to rile me.
But then there is that little devil on the shoulder…the one who whispers ever so softly into my ears…
It is then, that I must remember Jesus in his desert trials…
You can do this…
You can handle this…
Get away from me Satan…
Not to today…
Today, I am going to be respectful and supportive of everyone that I meet.
Satan, you do not have a chance…
Away with you.
Away, I say.
Today, my God and I, we have this!!!
Be gone!
This is going to be a great day…but I need you to pray for me, that I can remain strong…
And I shall pray for you as well.
With God all things are possible…
Amen.