Spared: Because God Is for Us

In the season of Lent, we see Jesus taking our place in his passion—the Valiant One fighting for us on the battlefield. Today’s struggle is against temptation. In our Gospel reading, Jesus is sent by the Holy Spirit out into the wilderness to face off with Satan. Despite the Devil's best attempts at temptation, Jesus is not moved. He is faithful to his Father and confident in what the Word says and means. In Romans 8, we learn of the gifts given to us through Christ’s victory. God is for us. That is why Jesus came to stand in our place. But this promise isn’t just something for the past. God continues to be for us. He remains faithful to his promises and his people and even intercedes on our behalf. In Genesis 22, we see that same God step into the life of Abraham and Isaac. While this test may trouble us from afar, God does not stand far off. He injects himself into the incident and prevents Isaac’s sacrifice. This is the same God who sacrifices himself in our place so that we might have his blessings. God is always for his people!