Tempted in the Wilderness
Hunger steadily gnawed at me. I had wandered into this wilderness forty days ago, a vibrant young man and now what was left? Nothing but bones held together by the sun warped skin that hung loosely about them. Who would recognize me now? Certainly, my own father would even have trouble seeing his son behind these sunken eyes. A low groan sounded in the pit of my very being. How much longer was I to wait?
A gentle breeze pushed at my back: a simple gesture of encouragement no doubt. I took a deep breath. The dry air was infused with fragrances both sweet and savory mingling together. A mouth I long thought had dried watered and a pang shot through my gut. I turned toward the source and laid my eyes upon her for the first time.
She was a sun kissed beauty with skin the color of caramel and hair as black as the tents of Tarsus. It fell in waves and ended in curls that lifted their heads to heaven above. Her eyes flashed mahogany and were rimmed in dark kohl. She had lips full and moist, painted in crimson to match the silken tunic clinging to her supple form. She lay between two rocks, arms propped up on either side as if she were lounging on a plush cushion. Surrounding her were warm breads, roasted lamb, various nuts, figs, raisins, sweet pomegranates, and a musky wine.
Her lips pulled back into a smile exposing teeth whiter than a dove’s breasts. “You must be famished.” She spoke, her voice floated like the melody of a lyre. “Come, Son of God, and dine with me. Your father has allowed you to wither down to nothing. Eat at my table and live.” She raised a jeweled chalice to her lips and waited my response.
I placed an arm around my midsection to quiet the demands my stomach. It thrashed in defiance and roared. I bent trying to subdue the beast and shut my eyes tight. “No.” It came out in a whisper. I grit my teeth and continued, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone.” Another revolt, my knuckles turned white clenching my soiled tunic. “But by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Sweet relief washed over me and I stood.
Her face fell flat. “So be it.” With a wave of her arms the feast dissolved to dust. She leapt toward me and in a moment, we stood on the pinnacle of the temple in the holy city. The warmth of her arm wrapped around my waist and her breath was hot upon my ear. “Can you fly, Son of God? Jump, for is it not written that He will command his angels concerning you? Will they not catch you and raise you high?” Her voice trilled with delight.
She ran a nail from the base of my neck down to my lower back. Pricks of coolness tickled my scalp; fogging my brain. One step and I would be free of her grasp for yes, the angels would catch me and set me down somewhere far from her touch. “Again no.” I searched for my boldness through the fog. “It is written, You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”
The world whipped around me and the city faded from view. We stood on an impossibly tall mountain and before us were all the kingdoms of the world: past, present, and future. They glistened like gold before us. My breath caught in my throat, never had I seen such a sight.
She stepped close pressing her soft flesh to mine. Her hair smelled of almond and her skin was like silk as she brushed a loose strand of hair out of my face. She looked up at me, the warmth from her whispers falling on my exposed neck. “This can all be yours, Son of God. Kneel before me and be mine and I will give you all of this and more.”
My heart thundered in my chest and I was certain she could feel it reverberating through her own. The warmth of her body, sweet scent, melodic voice, and silken touch sent my mind spinning. This wasn’t the plan. What was the plan again? I closed my eyes and pleaded, Father help me. A wind swept through my mind and cleared it of debris. My eyes opened with fierce determination. My lips parted ready to speak, to rebuke. No sound escaped them for in one swift movement she stretched up on tip toes and her mouth captured my own.