Temptation in the Desert
Tissot, James, 1836-1902. Temptation in the Desert, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54304 [retrieved March 4, 2022]. Original source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brooklyn_Museum_-_Jesus_Tempted_in_the_Wilderness_(J%C3%A9sus_tent%C3%A9_dans_le_d%C3%A9sert)_-_James_Tissot_-_overall.jpg.
Jesus Carried up to a Pinnacle of the Temple
Tissot, James, 1836-1902. Jesus Carried up to a Pinnacle of the Temple, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54302 [retrieved March 4, 2022]. Original source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brooklyn_Museum_-_Jesus_Carried_up_to_a_Pinnacle_of_the_Temple_(J%C3%A9sus_port%C3%A9_sur_le_pinacle_du_Temple)_-_James_Tissot_-_overall.jpg.
Meeting Temptation
The choice between God and every other god is a real choice. Both make promises, both demand loyalty. It is possible to live by both. If there were no real alternative to God, all [humanity] would choose [God}. Indeed, God is the more difficult choice t o justify in terms of provable results.
The chief difficulty is that God demands of us that we live by faith; faith in [God], [God’s] sovereignty over the future, [God’s] sufficiency for the present; while on the other hand, the various other gods whom we can serve appeal to us in terms of the things which we can see and the forces which we can calculate. The choice between the life of faith and the life of sight is a choice between a God whom only faith can apprehend and gods whom one has only to see to understand.
D. T. Niles in The Bible Through Asian Eyes
The choice between God and every other god is a real choice. Both make promises, both demand loyalty. It is possible to live by both. If there were no real alternative to God, all [humanity] would choose [God}. Indeed, God is the more difficult choice t o justify in terms of provable results.
The chief difficulty is that God demands of us that we live by faith; faith in [God], [God’s] sovereignty over the future, [God’s] sufficiency for the present; while on the other hand, the various other gods whom we can serve appeal to us in terms of the things which we can see and the forces which we can calculate. The choice between the life of faith and the life of sight is a choice between a God whom only faith can apprehend and gods whom one has only to see to understand.
D. T. Niles in The Bible Through Asian Eyes
Imaging the Word An Arts and Lectionary Resource, Volume 1
Spiritual Practices: Breath Prayer
Overview
After being baptized in the Jordan River by John, Jesus goes into the wilderness of an extended period of prayer and fasting. After 40 days, the devil comes to him and tempts him. He tempts him with his physical desires (make these stones into bread to satisfy your hunger), with wealth, power, and fame (you can have all the authority and the glory from all these kingdoms), and with his pride (prove that you really are the Son of God). Jesus responded to each of these temptations by leaning on scripture.
We are often faced with temptation in our lives as well. We are tempted to satisfy our physical desires, we are tempted with money, power, and fame, and we are tempted with our pride. Like Jesus, we can lean on scripture to help us overcome temptation. We have something at our disposal that Jesus did not, however. We can rely not just on scripture, but also on him. Because he was tempted and resisted it, when we face temptation we can turn to him and ask him to help us resist. That is what this breath prayer is about.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, help me resist temptation
Overview
After being baptized in the Jordan River by John, Jesus goes into the wilderness of an extended period of prayer and fasting. After 40 days, the devil comes to him and tempts him. He tempts him with his physical desires (make these stones into bread to satisfy your hunger), with wealth, power, and fame (you can have all the authority and the glory from all these kingdoms), and with his pride (prove that you really are the Son of God). Jesus responded to each of these temptations by leaning on scripture.
We are often faced with temptation in our lives as well. We are tempted to satisfy our physical desires, we are tempted with money, power, and fame, and we are tempted with our pride. Like Jesus, we can lean on scripture to help us overcome temptation. We have something at our disposal that Jesus did not, however. We can rely not just on scripture, but also on him. Because he was tempted and resisted it, when we face temptation we can turn to him and ask him to help us resist. That is what this breath prayer is about.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, help me resist temptation