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The Exchange – The World vs Worship
John TiltonLuke 4:6-8
And he (the devil) said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to, if you worship me, it will all be yours. Jesus answered, “It is written: Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.”
The devil attempted to tempt Jesus to worship him, and in return the devil stated that he would give Jesus all of the authority and splendor that was given to him and according to the devil, transferable.
Jesus’ response was clear and direct, as it was and is written, that we are to worship the Lord our God alone, and serve Him only. Although I know that I know that I don’t have any intention to give any attention to the devil, let alone worship him; how often do I allow things and matters in my life that are not of the Lord to take precedence or priority over my worship and commitment to the Lord? In addition, how often do I give audience to sin and subsequently fall to temptation; which when I do fall to temptation, I realize that I am indeed acting in disobedience and not worshiping and serving the Lord. Thus, when that transpires, I believe that my lack of obedience to the Lord is giving attention to the enemy’s temptations … oh so subtle is the deception of the enemy. I know that I must not exchange my worship and obedience to the Lord for the temporal and valueless things of my flesh and the world.
Dear Lord, may I not give audience or temptation to the enemy as he lays forth temptation; but instead, may my serving and worshipping you be continual and consistent. May I not fall to the temptations of the world or the temporal, disguised by my fleshly desires that seeks pleasure and self-gratification. Instead, may I stand firm on your word and promises to see temptation clearly and choose you.
