WEEK 1 | THE DESERT
THE LORD'S PRAYER
Start each week with the Lords Prayer.
Matthew 6:9-13,"Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."
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PASSAGE
Matthew 4:1-11
4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. 2 For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. 3 During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, 6 and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’” 7 Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’” ​8 Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.” 10 “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’” 11 Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.
REFLECTION
After His baptism, as the Father declared Him Son and the Spirit descended in glory, Jesus was led not into applause but into the wilderness. At the very beginning of His ministry, He faced hunger, weakness, and the enemy’s attack—each temptation beginning with, “If you are the Son of God,” striking at His very identity. Satan offered shortcuts: immediate bread, instant glory, an easier path. Yet where Israel once failed, Christ stood firm, answering every lie with the unshakable truth of Scripture. In the place of testing, He chose trust over self-protection and obedience over comfort. This passage reminds us that temptation often meets us in our most vulnerable seasons, but we are not defenseless. Like Jesus, we cling to God’s Word, trust the Father’s provision and timing, and worship and serve Him alone.
PRAYER
"Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen."
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(Source: The Book of Common Prayer, 1979, p. 255)