Matthew 4:4 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
This passage of scripture exemplifies the maxim all people should live by. It shows us what the spring-board for all of our actions should be: If God says it, we believe it, and that settles it. In this first temptation of Christ in the wilderness, Jesus shows us that there is no room for negotiation, modification, or deviation as it pertains to the word God has given us to live by. Christ shows us by precept and example, that extreme and dire circumstances should never warrant the slightest deviation from the principles and laws God has given us.
In this experience of Christ, the devil suggested an alternative way to doing God's will, a deadly strategy that works all too often in similar circumstances we sometimes face. Here was Christ, facing starvation and acute pangs of hunger, and possibly death. If the Father decided not to send bread, then what was Jesus supposed to do? By His response in this situation,He taught us a very valuable lesson, that it is better to die doing God's will, than to live in opposition to it. In other words, if death be the result of following God's commands, then so be it. The followers of Jesus are always to leave the results of obedience with God; our duty involves us not deviating one iota from a "thus saith the Lord" for all of the so-called "valid" reasons the devil often suggests.
A man once broke into a grocery store and ate lots of food and drank lots of milk because he was extremely hungry. When he was caught by the police, he explained his desperate situation, which of course appealed to the tender sympathies of the store owner, who consequently decided not to prosecute. While we can all understand the man's predicament, yet according to the bible, we cannot agree with the method implemented to relieve his needs. Desperate situations do not constitute valid grounds for stealing, for if that were the case, any needy person would then be justified in taking from anyone, and from any home, whatsoever would supply their needs, without impunity. This would then open the flood gates for certain individuals, especially during these difficult times, to construe their situation as being "dire", thus justifying robbery. Now while it is true, that the less fortunate among us should be cared for, yet the law that states "thou shalt not steal", should still be obeyed.
And so it should be with all people. When we are faced with difficult circumstances, with insurmountable hurdles, let's remember the example of Christ in the wilderness. He set the precedent for all who follow in His footsteps, by refusing to go outside of God's will, even in the face of death. The following texts should therefore be put to memory for those times when it seems as if there's no way out. Let's read:
Psalms 102:1 A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee. 2 Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.
We hope that the brief commentary today would result in us taking a more resolute stand for righteousness, in the face of opposing circumstances. God bless!