The Desert

If you have been around the church much you have probably either read Mathew 3:13-Mathew 4:11. I know I have read it many times but never really put two and two together until a while back.  If you are like me, a lot of times when I get to the end of a chapter I look at it as the end of the chapter and don't really connect it with the next chapter very well.  I don't let the two thoughts go together.

When you take these two chapters however and put them together you get an image that's a little bit different.  The end of chapter 3 is the story of John the Baptist baptizing Christ and God saying that He is pleased.  It is pretty much the start of Christ's ministry and someone a point of highlight in His life.  In chapter 4, it begins by saying "Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil." Now if you separate the two thoughts, it's hard to make the connection, but when you put them together you will see what I feel like I am dealing with right now.  

For a while now (pretty much as long as I have been writing this blog) I feel like God has been really working on me getting me to where He wants me to be in relationship with Him.  Things have been going good and I can see new things.  Relationships are being built and restored.  

Then I have had my last two weeks.  Over the last two weeks, I have felt attacked on so many levels.  I feel like satan has been throwing things at me trying to tear me down....trying to change how I view things.

That is when I cling to this story and remember that Christ had victory of satan and so can I.  I think the story is a story of hope for us, to show us it can be done. That even when you are weak you can remain strong in Christ and draw from the things He has taught you to stand up to satan and work through the trials and temptations.  

Who are we to think we are better than Christ and not have to go through trials and deserts.  Who are we to think that low times shouldn't come to us; that God shouldn't allow satan to throw things at us.

Anyway, just wanted to share the thought.  It's been somewhat of a rough week or so, but I know there is hope and light at the end of the tunnel.  I know God is still there and I can trust in Him.

Before I go I want to share a video.  I can't say that its my favorite song as much as I can say I just love words.



Anyway, do you think I should grow my beard to look like his?