January 25, 2026

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be sorely tested by the devil. ” (Matthew 4.1)

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was sorely tested by the devil.” (Luke 4.1,2)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

First, there was the submission of Jesus to be baptized to fulfill all righteousness and being anointed then for His commissioning to take on His true purpose: to redeem God’s people from the prison of sin and sinfulness and set them free to be the people of God. Following that decision to be baptized and set the course for His and our discipleship, God conferred His blessing, “You are My Son, whom I love; with You I AM [is] well pleased.” It is here that we see the threads which dominate the Old Testament witness truly woven together into a single strand. It incorporates the idea of “grafting” as in plant husbandry by which we as God’s people are woven in to make the fabric, which is the Church, stronger in the world it is called to serve.

However, there is another step which had to be taken. In both gospels of Matthew and Luke, we find that third agreement. The first is that Jesus is born and thus fulfills the prophesies of the word of God both in ancient writing, the Prophets on earth, and in the new declaration, the words of the Angels/messengers of God from Heaven. The second is Jesus demonstration of His commitment to the calling extended by God to be our Redeemer and Lord, which is baptism. If we extend the metaphor of “grafting” or “weaving” to the third step is “quality control.” We all have made something. We have drawn pictures for our parents and teachers as children. We have molded Play-do to create gifts for those we care for. Today, I watch as kids create jewelry with strings and beads to share with one another. In each of these and other activities we progress with a sense of “trial and error.” It is our own quality control to make the best gift we can to share with those we care for. Industry standards are the same. Science is the same. In every aspect of our lives, including the spiritual, we proceed with a sense of trial and error. Jesus was no different. Following His decision to be baptized and the blessing of that decision by God through the Holy Spirit, Jesus was directed in the Spirit to go into the wilderness. If we take a moment of reflection, the same happened many times in Old Testament: Adam and Eve sent into the world; Abraham directed to the Promised Land; Moses leading the freed slaves of Egypt to return to the Promised Land; David as he was pursued by Saul when it became known David had been appointed/anointed to be the true king of Israel; and even those who were sent into exile in Babylon. There are many lesser stories that hold the same meaning and purpose. It was and is a matter of quality control. Is the faith of the people in the act of the obedience to the call authentic and filled with integrity. In many instances, in fact all, we see that while there is authenticity, there is a lack of integrity. The failure to abide in the presence and word of God brings to the front the sinful facet of our humanity. Such was not the case with Jesus as we see in His desert journey for forty days. The testing did not come until the end of those forty days. He fasted during that time seeking God’s directive as to “what’s next.” Satan view Jesus in His humanity more than His divinity and waited until the very end to see “how good is the faith of this Messiah.” Satan tested Jesus with questions of food (physical), power (worldly) and faith (trusting obedience to God.) The dialogue is the same between Matthew and Luke. There are those places in their gospel stories where there is little to no difference between what they say Jesus said and did. We can believe these moments are speaking directly into our lives as non-negotiables. We may all experience many things in lives that the breadth and depth of the gospel will minister to. But, in those places of direct agreement, we can infer that each of us will face them. We will face them not alone. They are the places in our lives where we will be sorely tested as though in our own desert places. In those places, as in them all, we must count upon the reality of Immanuel, God with us. Jesus promised never to leave us nor forsake us. Jesus promised to be with us to the very end of this earthly journey and go with us in the next steps into our heavenly home with God forever. He is not simply about quantity (all the good things that He has done for us) but of quality (a treasure beyond measure, a pearl of great price, no greater love.) Mighty ones, let us be bound together, woven into this fabric of faith, hope and love which becomes the tapestry of God’s design for all eternity.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness but as righteous works of faith, hope and love in Jesus’ name. AMEN.