It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’
Matthew 4:7
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Testing God
In the second temptation the devil takes Jesus to the highest point of the temple. There he even uses the Bible. He quotes Psalm 91: angels will catch you, so jump. Jesus answers with a line from Deuteronomy that recalls Massah, a place in the desert. There Israel was thirsty and demanded proof: is God with us or not?
Whoever jumps to see if God will catch him isn't trusting. He is testing. Trust counts on God being there. Testing demands proof first, on your own terms. You can misuse a Bible verse that way too.
Question for today
When do I put pressure on God to show that he is there?
Prayer
Father, sometimes I want you to prove first that you are there. Forgive me for that distrust. I want to rely on you, even when I see nothing. Amen.
My prayer
With your own thought · only on this deviceOne of the 491 words of Jesus on this site, from the temple to Revelation. See all the words in order →