Is God Really There?

The foundations of our world are shaken.  It seems like we go from one shocking piece of news to another.  What is on everyone's minds these days?  Its not the Celtics 11 straight wins, its the economy.  Its not spoken of in alarming tones.  But if you spend any time with someone the question will come up "What do you think about the bailout of the auto industry?  Should we do it?" .  I am not going to enter an opinion here, but I think this question touches on a very subtle issue on everyone's mind.  If we don't bailout the auto industry will it really collapse?  Will this really effect multiple industries our whole economy?  If we do bail them out will it really help? What is next?  Are things really bad, are we entering a depression, what about my job, what about my friends, family and neighbors. 

Some of you reading this blog have already been effected by layoffs and are living your own personal economic crisis.  I hear a lot of comments about this isn't a depression, not like the one we had 80 years ago.  I think we will be all right.  These comments are made in response to the alarmist reporting in the media.  The list of concerns goes on with health care, a new president, the war in Iraq, the news of senseless killing and crime.  Where is America going?  Where is the world going?  Along with this is the personal challenges of our own lives with family strife, divorce, work situations, health, etc...

With many of these things bombarding us it is hard to find that quite focus where we spend time seeking the presence and assurance of God's love for us.  We find ourselves weak and confused.  We need a pick me up emotional spiritual experience to help us move forward.  We need a miracle to prove that God is really there. 

I am going to skip over the second temptation and discuss during my next post.  So we will jump down a couple of versus to the third temptation.  Where the devil is hoping that Jesus is at that point where He is weak and desperate for God's presence and assurance.

Luke 4:9 Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. 10 For it is written:
      ‘ He shall give His angels charge over you,
      To keep you,’
 11 and,
      ‘ In their hands they shall bear you up,
      Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”
12 And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’”

At first glance this would seem like a silly temptation.  Why does the devil want Jesus to jump?  He doesn't just tell Jesus to jump, but quotes scripture in essence saying God will not let you come to harm.  We will have a genuine miracle here as the angels bear you up.  The devil is hoping that in the weakened state that Jesus is as a man (hungry, tired, in the desert with wild beasts, all alone) that He would be at the point of wanting to prove God's presence with a miracle. 

Again we have insight into the purpose of the Devil's motives by Jesus' response.  "You shall not tempt the Lord your God".   How is it tempting God to rely on His promises in His Word??  In His response Jesus is acknowledging that in His current circumstances doing what the Devil has asked would be only for the purposes of tempting God for a miracle.  A way to get a spiritual boost out of God by what He does, not who He is.  At the same time Satan starts with the same phrase he used in the other temptations "If You are the Son of God...".  Claim you divine nature, leave this foolishness behind, you don't have to live your life as a mere man.

But Jesus answer is basically I will live my life as a man, I will face the same temptations that they face and I will not tempt God.  But instead I will trust in Him no matter what.  He has led me into the desert by the Holy Spirit.  He wants me here to face these temptations as a man in order to be worthy of the sacrifice that I must make on the cross.

Are you able to face the challenges around you?  Do you find your self looking for God's assurance through miracles?  We have received miracles in the past, but they don't last in making our relationship real with God.  He is there, He really does love us, He is always faithful.  As you are seeking Him, He is seeking your trust.