"After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, 'If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.'" -- Matthew 3:2-3

What images we have in today's readings!  In one sense they are contradictory, and in another they mirror themselves.  In the Old Testament, we have Noah building the Ark and preparing for the flood, and in the New Testament, we have Jesus being tempted in the wilderness after his baptism.  These are different in that with Noah, you have a man thrown into seemingly insane action.  With Jesus, you have a man thrown into seemingly insane inaction.  Noah must have looked like a crazy man using all his power and energy in building the Ark in the beautiful weather-- preparing for the end of the world.  And Jesus, who is about to starve, seems crazy to refuse to use any of his power to feed himself.  It's crazy action vs. crazy inaction.  

On the other hand, they mirror each other because they both are obedient to God to a point that we would be greatly challenged if called upon ourselves.  Noah begins building in the sunshine trusting God's word and provision.  Jesus refuses to exercise his power, trusting God's word and provision.  Jesus knows that just because he can do something, doesn't mean he necessarily should.  These readings should give us pause next time we are about to impulsively do anything.  

What is God calling you to do, or refrain from doing?  Is your temptation to act in a way that is contradictory to God's will (Jesus' temptation), or is your temptation to refrain from a work that God is calling you to be about (Noah's example)?

Readings: Genesis 5:1-7:24; Matthew 3:7-4:11; Psalm 3:1-8; Proverbs 1:10-19