The Devil Made Me Do It

When reading theStory yesterday, I asked you to take a moment and savour it. I hope you did because in the vast canon of scripture from Genesis to Revelation, it is only in these two readings that the story exists free from blemish. Genesis 1 concludes with “… it was very good” (v 31). Genesis 2 wraps up with “… they felt no shame” (v 25).

Wilderness

Jesus faces hunger, thirst, loneliness, torment, and temptation as a sign of the Father’s love, as a result of the Spirit’s leading, as a consequence of his humble obedience to the Father’s will. The wilderness is God’s idea.

Gardens & Deserts

The devil has two favourite haunts, two places he likes to pay us a visit: gardens, and deserts.

Gardens are places of beauty and ease. There is abundant food, shade, birdsong. A garden is a taste of paradise. We are in a garden when our lives are pitch-perfect: great job, great marriage, close to God.

The Devil’s Orthodoxy

“’I know who you are! You are God’s Holy One. . . . You are the Son of God!’ . . . the demons . . . knew he was the Messiah” (v 41).

One thing you can’t fault the devil for is his orthodoxy. He is one sharp dogmatist. His favourite subject is theology.

Gardens and Deserts

The devil has two favourite haunts, two places he likes to pay us a visit: gardens and deserts.

Gardens are places of beauty and ease. There is abundant food, shade, birdsong. A garden is a taste of paradise. We are in a garden when our lives are pitch-perfect: great job, great marriage, close to God.

The Devil’s Orthodoxy

“’I know who you are! You are God’s Holy One. . . . You are the Son of God!’ . . . the demons . . . knew he was the Messiah” (v 41).

One thing you can’t fault the devil for is his orthodoxy. He is one sharp dogmatist. His favourite subject is theology. We see this repeatedly in Scripture, from the opening pages of the Old Testament where the serpent engages Eve in theological debate, to the opening pages of the New Testament, where the devil spars with Jesus over points of doctrine.

Watch and Pray

Read Reflect Self-confident Christians think they can wander close to temptation. This is fine, until the day they get their fingers burned – or worse. Asked how close he could drive to a precipice without going over the edge, a bus driver is said to have replied, “As far away as I can get!” Wise […]