 |
| Image by Jeff Sullivan |
†
A GREETING
O God, you are my God, I seek you,
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
(Psalm 63:1)
A READING
Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple,
saying to him,‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,
“He will command his angels concerning you”, and
“On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.”’
Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”’
(Matthew 4:5-7)
MUSIC
A MEDITATIVE VERSE
For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
and I walk in faithfulness to you.
(Psalm 26:3)
A POEM PRAYER
Some days I prefer
to ignore your assurances,
pave my own path, lose my own way,
cross quicksand if I have to --
anything but
relinquish my will.
Remember the blistering, narcissistic desert,
the devil who taunted you there?
You know it well - the desire, the drive
to conceive and control, predict and prevail.
You, too, have wrestled the egoistic impulse,
the credit-hoarding greed of spirit
that flares within and keeps me,
on some days, from offering praise,
stops me from seeking your face
or following your excellent way.
I'm left to my echoing solitude,
murmuring my own name.
Jesus, teach me to pray. Lend me your hand,
Talk to me of forgiveness until
all my dear falsehoods fall way.
Mend the cracked compass of my mind,
and guide me to my true desire.
- from "All My Dear Falsehoods" in Oblation: Meditations on St. Benedict's Rule
by Rachel M. Srubas
VERSE OF THE DAY
Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
even as we hope in you.
(Psalm 33:22)
†
 |
| Image by Andrew Mace |
In today's part of the narrative in the desert, the Tempter is asking Jesus to seek material proof of God's unconditional love for him. He is suggesting to Jesus that his relationship with God is one where God will step in and save his life on command. The Tempter does not understand that the unconditional love of God is a part of Jesus’ own being, therefore he does not need proof.
But how many of us have times when we long for some kind of proof that someone we care for loves us? We may create scenarios to get their attention or, when we have been let down, use indirect ways of registering our disappointment. Sometimes we believe we have to shower gifts on others so that they will know how much we care for them. We can sometimes measure our relationships this way, stacking up evidence for and against, secretively or openly. No human being is capable of perfect love to or with another person. This is part of why God's love fills a need in our lives that no one else can.
When we are going through the ‘valleys’ of our own lives, strangers and those close to us may surprise us, turning up to sit by our side, bringing food, or listening at the end of a phone connection. Later, we might think, “that person was really there for me,” and feel deep appreciation. In these moments, love has arrived in abundance, through quiet ways of caring. The need we have for that caring, is met by the depth of our own gratitude for it. Not because something got “proven,” about that relationship, but entirely because we were met with care in a time of need.
The Tempter is appealing to the human ego of Jesus, the part of him that might want to say, “let me show you how great my God is!” Sometimes we wish that God would send us material proof of how much God loves us. At other times, when we feel lucky or relieved, we might say “God has been good to me.” It can be hard to just let God be God. God’s love for us knows no bounds: it is there when we are in terrible distress, and it is there when we are experiencing joy. We cannot quantify God, but we can trust that God’s love is infinite.
How can we let go of the temptation to seek proof of God’s love for us? What are the ways that we might come to know how much God's love dwells within us?
* * * * * * * *
A STORY OF ENDURANCE
The Baird’s beaked whales are the planet’s deepest diving creatures, normally content to stay at depths of up to 3300 feet. Therefore marine scientists are trying to understand why at certain times of the year these whale pods congregate on the surface with each other. Recently, researchers have managed to determine that when they enter unfamiliar territory as part of routine migrations, they meet up with the resident population of beaked whales that already live there. The whales integrate, so that the newcomers can learn ways of coping with and being in this new habitat. The documented occurrences took place off the coast of the Commander Islands, which lie in the Pacific Ocean near the Bering Sea. The beaked whales of the Bering Sea (the hosts) meet the beaked whales of the Pacific (the visitors) to help acclimatize them to the new surroundings. To do so, they gather on the surface. It's extremely rare to see this particular species of whale, because most of the time they inhabit the deepest part of the sea, where humans cannot easily explore. Scientists are calling the behaviour a cultural tradition, because it doesn’t otherwise seem to be necessary. Once a year, these whale groups meet, enjoy each other's company, teach and encourage each other, and then disperse. The video below was the first documented sighting of this gathering, near the Commander Islands in 2012. The scientists were there to observe other whales and were surprised by the beaked whales' sudden appearance. Returning at the same time of year again, they were able to witness it recurring, and to document the different pods. Now they can predict when they will be there. In 2023, another such gathering was observed off the coast of California.
†
LC† Awakened by the Spirit is a project of Lutherans Connect, supported by the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the Centre for Spirituality and Media at Martin Luther University College. To receive the devotions by email, write to lutheransconnect@gmail.com. The devotional pages are written and curated by Deacon Sherry Coman, with support and input from Pastor Steve Hoffard, Catherine Evenden and Henriette Thompson. Join us on Facebook, and on Twitter. Lutherans Connect invites you to make a donation to the Ministry by going to this link on the website of the ELCIC Eastern Synod and selecting "Lutherans Connect Devotionals" under "Fund". Devotions are always freely offered, however your donations help support the ongoing work.
Thank you and peace be with you!