“The devil led him up to a high place…and showed him all the kingdoms of the world… ‘I will give you all their authority and splendor…If you worship me, it will all be yours.’” Luke 4:5-7.
Yesterday I was searching my external hard drive for a folder I needed in preparation for a fundraiser I’m helping my daughter organize. I found the folder which houses every file I would need to accomplish this goal. Instead of opening each one to ensure its content I decided to drag the entire folder over to my desktop. After the command was complete I put away the hard drive and returned to the task at hand. Icon upon icon brought up empty shells of the files and displayed a message that it couldn’t be accessed because the shortcut wasn’t sufficient. I would have to return to the original source and patiently transfer the details of each file.
Satan has always dealt in shortcuts and he still does, fully understanding that humanity has an impatient and weak heart. While in the wilderness, he offered Jesus a shortcut to obtain what Jesus knew He would eventually have. Jesus proved Himself strong against the tempter as they stood on one of the highest points in the wilderness. Together they looked across the landscape and witnessed all the kingdoms over which to reign. At this point Jesus had fasted for 40 days, and I’m sure He was hungry, exhausted and lonely. Satan patiently waited until Jesus was at the point of His greatest needs, and then the shortcut was offered. But he underestimated the power and self-discipline of Jesus. He offered Jesus shortcut after shortcut, but He never gave in. ‘Jesus was offered counterfeit power in the present but persevered for the eternal power in the future.’ Looking for Lovely, p. 137.
Many times, what Satan offers is a shortcut to what God intends on giving us in the future when the time is right, and the blessings are the greatest. Satan waits until we are at our greatest point of need luring us to our highest dream as if dangling a diamond in front of our face. We must be like Jesus and resist the shortcuts. We must stand guard in God’s strength waiting for the real thing. Like my computer, any shortcuts we take in our faith will result in emptiness and failure. ‘There’s a healthy and beautiful victory after the waiting, but there are repeated counterfeit opportunities trying to tell us that the wait isn’t worth it, that what would be offered now is better than what will be gifted later.’ Looking for Lovely, p. 138. When you are experiencing your greatest need protect your heart and mind against anything that seems like an easy path. It just might be a shortcut to nowhere but heartache.
‘Let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper time you will reap a harvest if you do not give up.’ Gal 6:9
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