When We Are Tested

This week my wifi has broken down, I have been to hospital for tests, and my doctor wants to check whether I have cancer of the kidneys.

In old age many people lose faculties, loved ones or earthly securities. Many younger people lose limbs, jobs, family members or homelands.  Now many people lose the ability to feed or heat their families. Some turn to rage. Others turn to despair.

This week I received a poem from a very old friend.  This shows an alternative response is possible no matter how hard your situation.  Here it is:

TEMPTATION

Robbed of his earthly strength

Left alone and solitary by his Father, abandoned by humanity,

Left alone to suffer in the depth of His Spirit to abandon His humanity

The forces of darkness close in on Him,

Leaving Him to face alone the darkest struggle -

To reject His Father's will and leave all things destined to die withoutn hope.

This is a struggle against the forces of wickedness and destruction,

against deception and corruption.

Into that moment an inner strength surges His being.

This battle to be tempted as we are tempted He must win 

and so set us free from the satanic powers.

Labels are turned.

Evil abandons Him and retreats into its hole - his powers are robbed.

The first victory is won.

Paul Oliver  Feb 15 2021