Amy Boucher Pye

Tag: Luke

  • Devotional of the week: True Authority (4 in Luke 4 series)

    Photo: Brenda Clarke, flickr
    Photo: Brenda Clarke, flickr

    “I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them…” Luke 4:5

    Satan harbors an inflated view of his authority. First he tries to tempt Jesus to change a rock into bread. Then he promises Jesus power over all the kingdoms of the world, which he believes are his to control. All he asks is that Jesus worship him.

    It’s rather ironic. Jesus actually holds the keys to those kingdoms, because of his union with the Father. But his humility keeps him from exercising that authority. Instead of lording himself over people, seeking to manipulate and control them, he puts himself at their mercy. Even to the point of giving his life on the cross.

    As we saw last week, Jesus knew who he was – God’s beloved son. Being secure in his identity, he lives as a servant. In his weakness, he is strong. Strong enough to resist Satan and his temptations.

    We aren’t Jesus, but what authority has God entrusted to us? We might be a parent, seeking to mold and shape our children into followers of Christ. If we exercise control harshly, they may rebel or react. So too if we are in a position of leadership in a work, church, or volunteer environment. Or we might not think of ourselves as leaders. Yet when we put the needs of others ahead of our own, we reflect Jesus’ love, grace, and gentleness.

    Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, you showed supreme humility when you died on the cross in my place. Thank you for your loving sacrifice. Amen.

  • Devotional of the week: Hunger Satisfied (2 in Luke 4 series)

    Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness (Jésus tenté dans le désert) by James Tissot - Online Collection of Brooklyn Museum
    Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness (Jésus tenté dans le désert) by James Tissot – Online Collection of Brooklyn Museum

    Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry. (Luke 4:2)

    When I refrain from eating, I can become snappy and irritable. A little hunger in my belly can turn my mood sour. Add some tiredness and I can morph into someone you’d best avoid.

    I like this little verse tucked in the story – that Jesus became very hungry. Though he must’ve been radiating love after spending time alone with his Father, he still felt the pangs of an empty stomach. And yet he doesn’t fall prey to the foul moods I can feel when I miss only a meal.

    Paying attention to the needs of our bodies and eating properly will help us control our physical hunger. But sometimes our spiritual or emotional pangs turn our eating into an act of seeking comfort. We stuff ourselves mindlessly with sweet or salty concoctions in the quest to quell the unmet needs inside. (Or some other kind of self-soothing behavior, whether it be drinking, shopping, workaholism…)

    And yet Jesus wants to meet all of those needs. He said later, when teaching the crowds who sought him out after he fed the thousands, that he is the bread of life, and that all who eat of him will never go hungry (John 6:35). This day, may we ask him to be our bread, satisfying our hunger that we might live for him.

    Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you that you dwell in your followers. May your presence bring comfort, hope, and love, that we might reach out to a needy world. Amen.