Stones

April 5, 2023

Nearly 20 hours on the road yesterday—a trip with son Matthew to Moneta, VA, delivering the old Harley 45 to Resurrection Cycle Works for assembly. It’s a small company operating out of the owner’s garage. Steven LeMay, the owner, lived outside my hometown for years, and has been working on these old bikes since he was a kid, following in his father’s footsteps. On top of that, he is a Christian, as might have been gathered from the name of his company. His website has as much space devoted to the Gospel as it does to bikes. 

Matt and I had a great time together, with times of both conversation and quiet. It was a tiring day, but O, so worth it!

Today’s reading came from Matthew 4, the Temptation narrative where the devil attempts to seduce Jesus into abandoning his calling by settling for a lesser, less costly “salvation.” Jesus of course, refused. May we do the same.

The incident begins with Jesus’ 40 day fast, which is more than enough to make anyone ravishingly hungry if it hasn’t killed him first. So the devil’s first foray pressed Jesus where he at the moment was most susceptible—hunger. “Turn these stones into bread,” the devil slyly suggested. As I read these words this morning, in my mind the scene changed. It wasn’t just Jesus who has been offered this dodge; it’s you and me.

How often I’ve tried to turn stones into bread! I’ve tried to satisfy the hunger of my soul with the stones of this earthly sphere. I’ve tried filling the ache within me with distractions—TV, scrolling the internet, accumulating stuff that promises much but delivers little. I’ve used work to give life meaning, hobbies, activities, people, places, things…all stones, while the Bread of Life sits on the table getting stale with disuse. Every day I am offered stones to eat, and too often, I’ve broken more than a few teeth on them. 

Lord Jesus, you are the only Bread of Life! By refusing this temptation, you proved yourself worthy and able to fill hungry hearts with good things. Had you yielded to this temptation, your salvation would have been as gravelly and worthless as the stones beneath our feet. And if I yield to it, my offering to this broken and sad world will be as hard and unyielding, as lacking in nutrition as those same stones. but in you, we have, and we offer life to the world!