But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’” (Matthew 4:4 NASB)
Jesus did not take His scrolls with Him to the wilderness. The Spirit led Him to that empty void of space. For forty days Jesus dwelt in an untamed, uninhabited, lonely place. He had no food or water. Luke indicates the devil tempted Jesus the whole 40 days, and then after these, Jesus became hungry. I assume that feeling of hunger was profound. As I consider this text, I wonder about Jesus’ conversations with the Father? At the moment He felt His hunger, the devil tested Him to make stones into bread. Jesus remained faithful by not exceeding His humanness and succumbing. Jesus did the same with the other tests that followed.
I am intrigued by Jesus’ reply that we live on “every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” Jesus just experienced 40 full days of communion and sustenance from God, not food, life. He did this even in the midst of 40 days of testing — He stayed in touch with God. Communion, prayer occurring in the midst of difficulty and deeply stretching circumstances you and I cannot imagine. Jesus not only cited this Scripture, He had lived His understanding of it out in real life for 40 days. He knew God’s love and care, and even profound hunger could not dissuade Him from His relationship with His Father. On every word — what were those whispers from God for Jesus? Just as those whispers came to Jesus, God wafts them toward us today. The question arises as to whether we listen or not.
Prayer provides pathways to life, and God desires we walk in it, conversing with Him.
For Reflection:
“pray without ceasing;” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
- Have you ever just listened in prayer? What experiences have you had with listening prayer?
- Has God ever led you to just sit with Him after starting prayer with words? What happens with you in those moments? What reaction do you normally have when this happens?
