Not by Bread Alone

Bread is considered one of the staples of life and yet it is also the downfall of many. In recent years there have been several doctors and other pundits who have made a great deal of money and fame by all but banishing bread from our daily regimens. Many have followed them, lost weight and become happy. Others have followed them in droves but have given up after a time, frustrated with the lack of options and the challenges of daily living. Somehow, carbs in all their forms, are linked with temptation as well as the sustenance of life. Jesus rebuked the devil when he is starving and tempted by saying, "man does not live by bread alone!" directly to the devil, who flees for a moment, only to come back with something stronger. I think there is a reason this is the first temptation and not the last.

We can get caught up in right consuming and eating or the lack thereof. And I have seen many a faithful person abused by others for their faithlessness and lack of discipline because of their size and shape. Obviously, it seems to all the world, they gave into temptation. But the other two temptations - ultimate power and complete control - well these are the temptations we often secretly wish for, and often exercise in our lives on a regular basis. The bread will pass away, and the calories, empty or otherwise will be absorbed, but the damage we do to others by exercising power badly over others, and taking control of our lives away from God, well, these are the temptations that have continuing and spiraling damage that we don't want to talk about. Jesus refused to be a politician and the ultimate manager. He gives the course of his life back to God with each temptation.

I will pray today, for the strength to give the course of my life to God, whenever I am tempted to believe I can win by coercion, brains, might or the like. Whenever I am tempted to think I can take complete control of the circumstances, I want to give those moments to God. We are all overwhelmed sometimes with our own failure and sense of being trapped. We are all tempted to use the power with have over others, to change the course of things to our favor. It is always short lived and fleeting but broken trust last forever. May we today offer our temptations before God. This loving Creator God has more creative solutions to our dilemmas them we can imagine or dream up. When we are tempted to act God like, may we have the courage to act child like - like a child of God, asking for what we need and trusting in a lovingly tender Creator who provides our needs before we ask and fills us to overflowing, even when we aren't noticing.