Broken Things Devotional - Matthew WestSample

Grace is a kingdom / With gates open wide

Take heart. You are not alone in your brokenness. While Jesus lived a perfect life, without blemish, it doesn’t mean He wasn’t tempted. In Matthew 4, the Bible tells us the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness specifically to be tempted by the devil (v. 1). Satan asked Jesus to turn stone to bread. He instructed Him to jump off the highest point of the temple. Then, he commanded Him to bow down and worship him with the promise of giving Him a gift of the world’s kingdoms in return.

Three times He was tempted, and three times Jesus refused to give in. In fact, each time He responded with Scripture.

The story is significant for a number of reasons. One, it teaches us a key to resisting temptation when standing in the face of our enemies—hiding God’s Word in our heart. It also reveals how the promises of Scripture remain applicable and can serve as powerful weapons when we’re up against formidable opponents. Last, this story models how Jesus identifies with the moments when we are tempted.

Hebrews 4:15-16 says this: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Not only can He identify with our weakness because He’s experienced the same kind of temptations we face firsthand, but He’s also willing to extend grace and mercy when we need it most. And the best part? Even when we give into temptation, His grace is still available; His mercy is never-ending.

We may think we don’t deserve His goodness in the wake of our mistakes, but in the Kingdom of God, it’s never about us anyway. It’s always about Him. It’s never about what we deserve. It’s about who He is. And He is a God full of grace, mercy and truth. He sees the best parts in us and calls out our truest selves, even post-mess up. He’s always there to clean us up, wipe us off and send us back into the battlefield armed with the promises of His Word and His presence.