God is aware of our shortcomings, when we fail to live up to what we want to be or do, and when we trespass against others. Adam and Eve were tested by the serpent, and they fell short. We all do! My guess is that we all would have eaten that fruit. In Psalm 32 David admitted to falling short: He acknowledged his sin and did not cover it up, but confessed to the Lord. What a relief that must have been for him!
I believe that when we acknowledge our sins before God, God forgives and heals. To acknowledge our shortcomings to God means being honest with ourselves. I believe that when we rely on God and are honest about what we’ve done and how we feel–good and bad, joyous and dark–God stays with us through it all.
God was with Jesus in the desert. Jesus went through seriously difficult times and was also tested. He relied on God and on God’s word through the Hebrew Scriptures to defend himself and guard against temptation. This Lent, I want to remember that God is with me, to do more self-examination, to work on getting closer to and relying more on God through reading and studying the Holy Scriptures.
Thom Sinclair
Links to the appointed readings for today:
