Staying Grounded

When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. -Luke 4:13 (NIV) 
 
Have you ever had the best of intentions to do something that would improve your spiritual life? Maybe you decided to begin each morning reading a chapter out of the Bible or ending each evening with a time of prayer and reflection. Maybe you made a decision to regularly volunteer at the outreach center or join a new small group study. Maybe you decided to pray together each day with your spouse. But then life happens. You miss a day. Then two. Then three. Maybe you resume the practice that you began later. Maybe you never return.

That was my experience when I first started reading scripture each morning and then writing about it. At first, I couldn't wait to get out of bed and write. God was really moving in my mornings. But then little things began to tempt me for my attention rather than this daily discipline of reading and reflecting on scripture. Initially, I was able to resist these temptations and to stay focused on my morning time with God. I was proud of myself for successfully "putting the devil behind me" and keeping him at a distance. But then I missed a day, then two, and then three. All of a sudden it occurred to me that the devil wasn't done tempting me at all, just waiting for another opportunity. Maybe I can't blame a devil or anyone else for my lapse. Maybe it was all on me.

In our suggested scripture reading this morning, the devil tempts Jesus. Jesus resists but the devil tries again. Jesus resists a second time but the devil is not done. After Jesus resists a third temptation, Luke tells us that the devil departs but that he's not finished...he's just waiting for a more tempting time to tempt.

Temptations are going to come. That's why it's so important that we stay grounded in the word of God. After all, that's how Jesus is able to successfully resist the temptations of the devil in today's text: he knows the word of God and God's will for his life.

May God grant you the grace to immerse yourself in the word and resist temptation today.


Tomorrow's readings: Daniel 9-10, Psalm 123, and Luke 5