URC Daily Devotion Saturday 18 October 2025

 
St Matthew 4: 1 – 11
 
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished.  The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’  But he answered, ‘It is written,
 
“One does not live by bread alone,
    but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’
 
Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple,  saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,
 
“He will command his angels concerning you”,
    and “On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.”’
 
Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”’
 
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour;  and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’  Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
 
“Worship the Lord your God,  and serve only him.”’
 
Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.
 
Reflection

At Jesus’ baptism we have heard that he received the Holy Spirit, which descended upon Him like a dove, and led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. That seems like a strange agenda for the Spirit of God! Probably many of us over the years have asked the question Why? Why would the Spirit of God lead Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted? 
 
Shortly after this passage in Matthew 6:13, Jesus will teach us to pray, “And do not bring us to the time of trial but rescue us from the evil one”.

Something to remember is that the Spirit doesn’t tempt Jesus but only leads him into the wilderness – goes with Him into the wilderness and is reminiscent of the 23rd Psalm, where God goes with us through the valley of the shadow of death. The Spirit leads and accompanies Jesus; the tempting is the devil’s business.

It’s the same for us today.  Each time we say the Lord’s Prayer we know that when we find ourselves in times of trial and difficulty it’s not God who is doing the tempting but that He is with us during those times, walking alongside us, guiding us to choose the right path and make the correct decision. It reminds me of that well known poem “Footprints in the Sand” – when in times of trial and suffering the writer questioned why there was only one set of footprints; the Lord responded by saying that during those times He was carrying the writer.

When we find ourselves in that type of situation and maybe feeling on our own remember that our Lord and Saviour is always walking alongside us and, if necessary, will be carrying us through the difficult times.

Prayer

Gracious, Caring God,
deliver us from the snares of temptation
that seek to ensnare our hearts and minds.
Protect us from the schemes of the enemy
and grant us the discernment to recognise and avoid the pitfalls.
Empower us with Your Spirit
to walk in Your truth and righteousness.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen