Today's Lenten Devotional - Sunday, February 22, 2026

 

First Sunday in Lent – February 22, 2026

Scripture: Luke 4:1–13

Jesus enters the wilderness “full of the Holy Spirit.”  The wilderness is not evidence of God’s absence but often the place of God’s shaping.

The Tempter’s voice is subtle: Turn stones to bread.  Claim power.  Secure safety.  Each temptation offers a shortcut around trust.  Each suggests that identity must be proven rather than received.

We know these temptations well.  Feed your hunger at any cost.  Protect yourself above all else.  Accumulate influence so that you will not feel vulnerable.

Yet Jesus resists—not with bravado, but with Scripture.  He remembers who he is.

Lent invites us into wilderness spaces—not to punish us, but to clarify us.  What voices compete for your allegiance?  What shortcuts look appealing?  What fears drive your decisions?

The Church, too, faces temptation: to chase relevance through power, to secure safety through exclusion, to measure worth through numbers or influence.  But our calling is different.  We are ambassadors of reconciliation, not architects of dominance.

In the wilderness we discover whether we trust God enough to live differently.

Temptation is rarely about dramatic evil.  It is usually about distorted good.  Bread is good.  Safety is good.  Authority can be good.  But when they replace trust in God, they become idols.

The wilderness strips us down so we can remember who we are: beloved children of God.

Reflection Questions:

1. What temptation most persistently competes for my trust?
2. Where do I seek security apart from God?
3. How might wilderness be shaping rather than punishing me?