Sunday, February 14, 2016

The Test



" Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during this days, and when they were over, He was hungry. . . . Jesus answered the devil, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from Him for a time. . The, Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about Him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to preach in their synagogues, and was praised by everyone." --[Luke 4: 1-2,12-15.]


This Scripture in Luke is the traditional start of Lent.

Before His time of testing, Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan by John the Baptist (or Baptizer). Note that in Luke 3: 19-20, John the Baptist rebuked Herod, at which Herod shut John the Baptist in prison.

Now, at this point, Jesus was without John the Baptist, in proclaiming the Good News. Matthew describes Jesus' early ministry as this: "Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people."

One of His first teachings came in His hometown of Nazareth. The townspeople reacted with rage, saying "Isn't this Joseph's son?"  So furious were His listeners at Jesus' message of Love for ALL, they tried to throw Jesus off the cliff!

A rough start, for the "first Christian", and God's Only Son, eh?

Is THIS what it is like to be Christian? Baptized, by someone who was thereafter thrown in prison for His beliefs? Tested in the desert for forty days, by Satan? Rejected by your own hometown?  Violently manhandled, and almost thrown off a cliff?  Not a very auspicious beginning. . . .

Many Christians believe -- falsely, it turns out -- that in exchange for being Faith-filled and obedient to God's Word, that our life will be peaceful, comfortable and easy.

NOT!

I look back at my life and here is what I see:
Age: newborn -- almost died before I was born. My mother almost died in labor, too.
Age: two -- was already raising myself, potty training myself.
Age: three -- fire in my grandparents. I was terrified.
Age: four -- came way too close to drowning in a neighbor's pool.
Age: five -- made it my own responsibility to find food when I was not being fed at home. Put myself down for naps.
Age six: -- diagnosed with a chronic lung disease.
Age: eight-- shutting down my emotions against the sibling who was bullying me. Parents told me the abuse would stop if I did not "react".
Age: ten -- my beloved grandfather died, the only family member who cherished me. I stopped speaking.
Age: fourteen-- a suicide in the extended family. I was told, 'We don't go to church or believe in God.'
Age: 22-- I was the victim of a violent crime that almost ended my life. I was told not to come home.


I handled everything by isolating myself. I grew up sort of feeling sorry for myself. Ashamed that I even had such a history. Who HAS such a life?!

People to whom I even breathed a word of my story, have said to me: "THAT is about the worst story that I have ever  heard."

I have had people -- Christians -- tell me, "Why tell me such things?! WHY repeat this? What AM I, your therapist?!"

I have had people say, "Some people should never have had children". Which means-- I would not be alive!

I have even had Christians shun me for this life that I have had, treating me as if I were classless or crude.

I have had Christians put their hand on my arm, as if to silence me.

I have had Christians interrupt me and tell me how bad THEIR life has been. That just makes me feel as if my own pain does not measure up. Our pain cannot be compared. It is not a contest.

When I look at Jesus' life, even from the very beginning, He was not spared any pain.  Almost immediately after His baptism, He was put to the test, not just by Satan, but by His own townsfolk.

I have wanted to run away and hide and thereby spare those who know me, the pain of my story.

But, Jesus did not do that. He did not hide. He did not shy away from the pain. He even warned His followers of the pain in being a Christian. He told them, 'People will hate you because of me.' He told them, 'You will be persecuted because of me." He told them, ' In this world, you will have many trials and tribulations.' He told them, 'You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends.'

Jesus went everywhere, telling His story, telling of the Kingdom of God. He did not silence Himself from sharing His story, or the Word. At the last moments of His life on earth, He even gave away His own body for us!

In the early church, "the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul . . . And with great power, the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant Grace was up on them all." --[Acts 4:32].

IF we do not share our Christian trials and tribulations; our joys and our sorrows -- then who DO we have? We are meant to turn to our God, yes.

But, if we suffer alone, how are we a "community in Faith"?  Even Jesus calls us all Friend. At the Last Supper, Jesus tells the apostles, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover [this last meal] with you before I suffer." -- [Luke 22: 15].

In unity, we are ALL meant to be friends. We are meant to walk together.  . . . Not to suffer alone.  In the telling of our pain, we are not dishonoring the meaning of our life. We are praising the God who walks with us as Friend, and who rescues us from ourselves !

[Related Postings: "The Cost of Christianity", 9/9/13]

(c) Spiritual Devotional 2016. All Rights Reserved.








1 comment: