I used to think it was all about the chocolate.
No, really, I thought the Roman Catholics gave up chocolate and bacon for a few weeks during Lent and ate all kinds of fish at the firehall. It’s most of what I heard about. It also seemed kind of easy, to be honest. We Pentecostals did real fasts—we prayed about how long we would give up meals, except for water and maybe some juice. It wasn’t uncommon for people to take a day or two to fast, and we spoke with hushed reverent tones about those who were led to fast like Jesus in the desert—for forty days—and hoped it wasn’t us, even if we all wanted to be that anointed.
Luke 4:1-13 begins the Lenten season in the wilderness. We follow Jesus in his Spirit-led journey into the desert and may feel just a bit left behind. His confrontation with the devil is so straightforward, and yet so subtle. On the surface, Satan gives some good instruction: speak in faith and experience God’s provision for you; take every opportunity to set people free from the devil’s power; and trust God to care for you. There’s one problem—the temptations all invite manipulation and coercion and come from a place of self-justification, rather than a confidence in the Father’s love.
Jesus knew better. And if we are watching and following with Him, we can learn the difference too. We have nothing left to prove.