Here is a devotion to start your day!
A spoken version of this devotion is available through the Still, Here audio reflections podcast.
Scripture: Matthew 4:5–11
Jesus said to him, “Again, it is written, ‘You shall not test the Lord, your God.’”
Reflection
The wilderness is not silent for long. Once hunger sets in, the voice of the tempter finds Jesus. The questions are sharp and familiar: If you are the Son of God… prove it. If God is with you… show it. If you bow down… I’ll make things easier.
Temptation is rarely about obvious evil. It often shows up as a twisted path to a good thing: provision without dependence, protection without vulnerability, influence without obedience. Beneath every offer is a whisper: You cannot really trust the Father to give you what you need. Take the shortcut.
Jesus answers each voice, not with clever arguments, but with a deeper loyalty to the Father’s heart. He will not demand a sign to secure His identity. He will not grasp at power to avoid the cross. He refuses to build a kingdom without surrender.
Our wilderness seasons also speak. Old accusations resurface. Doubts grow louder. We are tempted to prove ourselves, to demand that God perform, to reach for control. Lent invites us to respond, not by shouting down every thought, but by returning again and again to the truth: I belong to the Father. I will trust His way, even when it is costly.
Love in the wilderness is not soft or sentimental. It is a fierce, steady yes to the Father in the face of every competing voice.
A Prayer of Presence
Lord Jesus,
When accusations echo in my mind and shortcuts call my name, anchor me in Your love. Let me feel Your presence as I face those things that challenge my faith. Give me courage to refuse every easy way that pulls me from Your heart. – Amen
Practice for Today
Notice one recurring “voice” in your thoughts—criticism, fear, pressure to perform. Write it down. Then, beneath it, write a simple truth of God’s love or promise that you choose to stand in instead.
Consider This…
What shortcuts am I tempted to take to avoid trusting God’s timing, process, or way? What do I need from God to turn away from the shortcuts?
Carry This Prayer With You Today
Breathe in: I trust Your heart...
Breathe out: … more than my shortcuts
This work is freely shared. If it nourishes your life with God, you’re welcome to help sustain it.