And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:2-4 (NASB)
We always seem to get hung up on our physical needs rather than what God wants for our lives. Just as we face daily battles of temptation, Jesus did too. Jesus had temptations lay before him all through his ministry—all the way through to the Garden shortly before his death.
As Jesus began his ministry, one of his biggest temptations lay before him. As much as I rely on food, I find it hard to wrap my head around the fact that Jesus ate nothing for 40 days. When he was weak and tired, along came the devil to tempt Jesus with something to eat (sound familiar?!). But Jesus made a choice. He wanted to honor God and focus on his Father more than himself. Jesus chose God’s will and his glory over his needs and desires. It’s what Jesus fed on more than physical food.
Key Thought
It is not just bread that keeps people alive—our lives depend on what God says. Living without our spiritual food for our souls will leave us hungrier than a 40-day fast!