If there is one time of year that I think Melbourne is at its best, it is in Autumn. The crisp clear days, often with a gentle breeze, allowing a score of hot air balloons to transverse the morning sky is something to observe.
The irony of talking about a particular season in Melbourne is, that Melbourne has developed a reputation that you can experience all four seasons in the one day. This may be true, but I still love Autumn time in Melbourne.
Yet the weather isn’t the only thing that experiences seasons. We speak of people experiencing different seasons when they travel through different stages of their life, their relationships, or even their work-life. The Bible also talks about various seasons, and we are currently in the middle of one right now; the 40 days leading up to Easter, the Holy Week, is known as Lent and this is one of the many seasons the Bible speaks about.
The 40 days of Lent are meant to reflect the 40 days Jesus fasted in the wilderness and was tempted by the Evil One. As we read passages from the New Testament such as Luke 4:1-13, we learn about this time Jesus spent in the wilderness, alone, fasting and being tempted
Recently as I was reading a commentary on this passage that stated ‘I love the understatement of scripture! It says, “Where for forty days and nights, Jesus fasted and was tempted by the devil.” He ate nothing during this time and at the end of it was hungry!” (Luke 4:2&3) Not only facing temptation, part of which would have stemmed from hunger, but Scripture casually reminds us that at the end of forty days Jesus is hungry, ravenous more likely!
I have heard children call this ravenous state ‘hangry’: a mixture of hungry and angry! When we are hungry, we often are less able to manage our reactions well. When stressed or tired, hunger acts like a stressor, we become vulnerable to mood swings and less able to manage ourselves. I know this only too well. At the end of a long hard day, returning home ready to have dinner, I really need to be careful because it is very easy for me to snap and respond in an ungracious manner.
At His weakest point in human terms, the Evil One launches a triple temptation assault on Jesus. Jesus doesn’t look to His own resources but trusts in God’s Word to ward off the attacks by the Evil One. Even on the third temptation when the Evil One quotes Scriptures back at Jesus in an attempt to outwit Him, the Evil One was foiled, for Jesus understood the meaning of the Scriptures He relied upon and rebuffs the Evil One.
This exchange between Jesus and the Evil One illustrates that the Old Testament or the Hebrew Scriptures are important to the New Testament. Indeed, it is reassuring to know that the whole of the New Testament is embedded in the Old Testament. The first disciples and early church in the light of the life, ministry and teachings of Jesus were able to search the Hebrew Scriptures and discover the Gospel within its many texts. God’s plan had always been moving towards the redemptive work of Christ Jesus. This is why we believe and know, that the Bible is our trustworthy source of truth.
This is why we start each school day with students in devotions. Devotions allows us the opportunity to share this reliable source of truth with the students and they can come to understand and appreciate how much each of them is loved by God and to gain wisdom and insight on how to live through the various seasons of life. Daily devotions are something quite special to us and something we desire to continually provide for the students. Long may we continue to hold on to this special and significant practice for their enrichment.
Blessings,
Ross Grace
Executive Principal