For forty days and forty nights Jesus went without in the wilderness. When he was at a low ebb, the devil came to tempt him. Jesus resisted temptation, and according to Luke, the devil departed from him until an opportune time. In times of weakness, we’re more likely to give in to our harmful tendencies. Whether or not there is a devil who tempts us by whispering in our ear, or something is triggered in our minds, perhaps harking back to childhood; or we have genetic tendencies that are embedded in our dna, there’s a greater pull when we’re under stress, or miserable, or we feel as if we’re under threat: in other words, if we’re feeling negative.

Jesus resisted temptation. If we follow Jesus, we’ll do the same. Why should we put ourselves in the same position as Jesus? Why should we go without for forty days and forty nights, if it means we’re more likely to be tempted? I don’t think that we have to fast in the sense of going hungry, if this might be injurious to our health. I do think it a good thing to take the opportunities that Lent gives us to become conscious of ourselves and our habits, and focus on at least one area in which we need to change. We know what they are. They’re traits that are harmful, either to ourselves or to other people. They give us negative feelings about ourselves and become a barrier, built on our side, between us and God.

There’s a high likelihood that we’ll be tempted when we’re at our most vulnerable. If we’re giving up passing on gossip, for example, the best nugget we’ve been told this year may well come our way. What can we do to resist the temptation? Hold onto our faith in God, as Jesus did, until it passes.

Jesus pointed his finger toward the ground when the woman was made to stand there in front of everyone, having been caught in the act of doing wrong. He didn’t point the finger at the woman. This is such an important story. Who will throw the first stone? Who is without sin? ‘What? Has no-one condemned you?’ says Jesus, ‘ Neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more.’ The woman can be reconciled to God if she sins no more. All people can be reconciled to God, whatever we have done, if we are going to do our best to change our ways.

Let’s do it. Let’s take the time over Lent to reflect, to identify our own harmful tendencies that lead us to sin, and to take those steps that lead to positive change. Yes, God loves us as we are, but yes, God wants us to change, to be willing like St Peter to make the effort to follow the way of Jesus, and to become ever more like him. Amen.

Julie Rubidge, Lay Minister