Whose Glory?

Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry. Then the devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone.’” [Luke 4.1-4]

Seriously, what would it have hurt for Jesus to make a little bread from rocks since He was, after all, very hungry? This passage needs our careful consideration. It is far too easy to see only what is said and fail to see the pure faith implication of it.

Of course Jesus could have turned stones into bread. But, that's not the point! The point is, Jesus went into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil! He went there fasting a praying. He went there so that God might be proven victorious in His life over evil!

Where am I going with this? 

I am saying that Jesus refused to turn stones to bread for the same reason Abram refused to take pay from the king of Sodom:

The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give back my people who were captured. But you may keep for yourself all the goods you have recovered.” Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I solemnly swear to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, that I will not take so much as a single thread or sandal thong from what belongs to you. Otherwise you might say, ‘I am the one who made Abram rich.’  [Genesis 14.21-23]

Abram's desire to see God alone glorified can be seen similarly to Jesus' desire to see God alone glorified. Had Abram accepted the king's offer, God's glory in being Abram's "provider" would have been diluted (not only in Abram's eyes, but in the king's). Had Jesus turned stones into bread, God's glory as His sustainer would have been diluted (not only in His own eyes, but in Satan's).

There is a time in every believer's life when a decision must be made to see God alone glorified! At some point, a believer must need to see, not what God "uses," but God Himself. Foolish as it may appear to those observing, every believer must know that God is Who He says He is and that He needs nothing of man's help (including our own help)!

Yes, God could have used the king of Sodom to make Abram rich. Yes, Jesus could have, with the faith in Himself, turned stones into bread. Abram's reason to rescue Sodom was not to get rich. Jesus' reason to be in the wilderness was not to be physically satisfied. To glorify God alone was their purpose even if it meant denying provision that could have been "used" by God to meet their needs. They chose to preserve God's glory in purity without dilution of any outside help.

I wonder how foolish we might be just to see God's glory preserved untouched by anything (even our own faith)?

Father, I may be wrong here - You've certainly seen in the years of my writing here how silly I can be - but, I want to learn more about Your glory. And, I want my life to exemplify it! So be it.