Lenten Devotional: March 11, 2026

by KayLee Bennett McFall

Leaning into God

Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11 NIV

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus answered him, “It is also 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 splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Reflection:

The Spiritual Disciplines come straight from the life of Jesus. Remember when Jesus went into the wilderness by Himself for forty days and forty nights (Matthew 4:1-11)? He fought an intense battle of continuous temptation. He was tempted with hunger by the pleasure of food. He could handle that and have any food He wanted, but He did not. He leaned into God. He was tempted with all the possessions He could think of. He could have anything in the world He wanted. But, He said no, and leaned into God. He was also tempted with pride to prove exactly who He was. He did not need to. It was here He held on and staked His life in prayer and leaned into God.

Lent is battle time. An intense season to fight our urges or whatever it may be that takes us away from Christ. We can fight this stuff! Jesus overcame these temptations in the wilderness by putting the Spiritual Disciplines into action and we can too. Action is the key word, you gotta move.

Lent is not just about giving up dessert, caffeine or swearing! Two thumbs up for giving up that stuff. Those are great outward things to do to help you remember to work on your insides. He commands us to fast, simplify and pray. Go deeper.

Call to Action:

Think about Jesus in the wilderness and ask yourself these questions:

• What pleasures in life can you do without or should do without? Fasting is a reminder with every hunger pang to give one of those things up to God and lean in.

• What possessions are making your life complicated, keeping you from the fullness of Christ?  Let something go; lean into Him.

• Pride is sneaky. Ask yourself, where is pride hiding in your life trying to make you bigger than your Lord? Lean in, and pray to replace pride with humility.

Prayer:

Lord, help us to come back to You and lean in. Give us a desire to know you more and give you control of our lives and fill us with the hope of Easter. Amen.

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