July 2

And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” Luke 4:3,4.

This question that the devil asks Jesus represents the thinking of today’s world. First there is the casting of doubt with the word “if.” Then there is the request for some miraculous feat that if fulfilled would not really define Jesus as the Son of God. Nor would the feat satisfy anyone—it would only increase desire for more and more miracles. Furthermore the turning of stone to bread would appear to be self-serving; thus proclaiming that God, if Jesus were really God, was only interested in Himself. There is a lot hanging in the balance in this evil request.

I find that many Christians face the same, cold, suspicious attitude from unbelievers. They are asking, “What are you about?” “Are you in this for your own gain?” Our task becomes one of showing that we are not living on ‘bread’ alone. The source of our life is Jesus; the material food that we eat is only the most obvious intake to our bodies. The real source of our existence, as a new creation, is the continual nourishment by the Holy Spirit, who is bent upon showing us more of Jesus.

Father, I ask that today I be a representative of the new bread, the manna, from heaven. The world may be puzzled over my style of living and my reliance upon something higher than they can see. But in the final analysis only the life of Your Son is asked to show. There will be no selfish motives, no glorifying of self. Only Jesus will be magnified. Make me receptive to all of this. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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