emptied.... filled...

This morning I saw an interesting pattern  
- intimacy and obedience to God    

followed by a 'test'....   

Jesus gets baptized.... to 'fulfill all righteousness' 
Is filled with the Holy Spirit 
and is lead by the Spirit 
to a place of joy and peace and rest.......   
NOT.     
He went to a place of testing. see Lk 4:1-13 

A place that was barren
- No food.....
He fasted.....
- No people
- No care for his body
and when all human resources were expended
Temptation and Satanic attack

And Jesus leaned in
He rested in not his own strength (he had none)
but the Eternal words given to men...
Scripture
and the Holy Spirit's understanding of those words...

Jesus emptied of all
Yet satisfied His Father
and resisted the flesh and the devil.
by the power of the Spirit.

I have heard it said,
'God never gives us more than we can take'....

True???

Hmmm.... I don't think so...
I have never read it in scripture.
In fact.... it flies in the face of Jesus' experience in the desert.

God LOVES to take me to a place where
I am in 'Over my head'...
were I haven't the ability to cope
were my resources are limited and not sufficient
and I GIVE UP the right to control the situation

and Lean into Him
(who was never absent)
and trust that He has 'my back'
and Know the deliverance He has for me
that I could never bring.

Lord,
that is a decidedly uncomfortable place to be
extended way past my resources
Lead there by You
with no plan 'B'
except that You will show me
and BE my way through.

and You do
and You are
and I will trust in You
to do it again....
....maybe even today.

Yes.

PJ