Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.
Matthew 3 opens three decades after the birth of Jesus, revealing pivotal moments just before He launches into public ministry. Jesus approaches John the Baptist and declares He must be baptized to “fulfill all righteousness.” He had no need for repentance or baptism, but Jesus came to do for all what we could not do for ourselves. Even in His baptism, Jesus stood in the Israelites’ place. Going through water often signified the Israelites’ redemptive role and purpose. But where they had failed to be righteous, Jesus would succeed. Poised to fulfill His purpose, perfectly representing His Father, Jesus also modeled a posture of humility and obedience central to the heart of a Christ Follower.
Jesus is then led into the wilderness by the Spirit to fast for 40 days and be “tempted by the devil” (Matthew 4). In the wilderness, Jesus again does for all humanity what we’ve failed to do faithfully since Eden — choose the trustworthy voice of God over the deceiving voice of the enemy. Satan tempts Jesus to meet legitimate needs in illegitimate ways, twist God’s word for His own benefit, and trade His ultimate purpose for immediate power. Each time, Jesus trusts His Father. He emerges from the wilderness ready to fulfill His purpose, empowered by the Spirit.
Preparation, testing, response — this pattern is familiar in Scripture. In hindsight, I see it in my own life, too! Whenever God has invited me into harder, bigger, riskier (better) things, He began preparing my heart long before those actual things. In a million seemingly smaller ways, He was aligning the posture of my heart to His, often through repentance first (pride, self-reliance, distrust, or a lack of urgency for God), then testing.
James 1 reminds us to welcome testing because of its power in our spiritual lives! What’s refined in testing tends to be what most needs working out before stepping into whatever purpose He is calling us to. Jesus’ obedience to His Father in the garden was forged in the wilderness. Testing challenges, deepens trust, and strengthens our faith. We can leave wilderness-testing empowered to respond to God so He can work through us to accomplish the good things He prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
Maybe you hear God call as John did, “Repent!”. Let whatever it is go. His way is better. Or, perhaps, you find yourself in the wilderness. Don’t lose heart! Stay rooted in His Word, trust His timing, and know that He will sustain you. And, for those who are emerging from the wilderness, know that God’s been preparing you for this new season, strengthening you for the calling He has placed on your life! What will your response be?
Prayer: Lord, prepare my heart! Help me to turn from anything that keeps me from walking in Your ways. Give me the courage to follow You and help me to bear fruit worthy of a life completely loved and entirely changed by You. Amen.
Take two minutes to reflect in silence.
Reflection:
- Use the S.O.A.P. Method to study God’s Word.
- SCRIPTURE: What stands out to you in today’s passage?
- OBSERVATION: What is this text saying? What is the context? How does it fit with the verses before and after it? Are there any commands, instructions, or promises?
- APPLICATION: How can you apply this verse to your life? What does this mean today? What is God saying to you?
- PRAYER: Respond to the passage in prayer. Ask God to help you apply this truth to your life and spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.
The Way of Jesus: 7 Marks of Discipleship
As we begin a new series, we encourage you to lean into the 7 Marks of Discipleship each week. The 7 Marks of Discipleship provide a simple tool to help us identify areas where we are thriving in our calling and where we can grow. Check here each week for a new 7 Marks Challenge that will encourage you to follow Jesus closer every day.
