Week 1
They rose up and led Jesus to the brow of the hill on which the city was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. But he walked through the middle of them and went on his way. —Luke 4:29–30
Jesus answered him, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born again, he cannot see God’s Kingdom.” —John 3:3
Pilate therefore said to him, “Do you understand who you are speaking to? Do you not know that I have power to release you and have power to crucify you?”
Jesus answered, “You would have no power at all against me, unless it were given to you from above.” —John 19:10–11
The modern mind, shaped by the Scientific Revolution, tends to explain events only in natural terms. But to follow Jesus is to be born again—and to see differently. Jesus never saw life as random. He understood that all things, even earthly power, were subject to his Father’s will.
Whether walking away from danger in Luke 4 or standing silently before Pilate in John 19, Jesus showed unwavering confidence that his life was in the Father’s hands. In all the biblical accounts of people disrespecting Jesus and questioning his authority, our Lord didn’t fight as one who needed to plead his own cause. Instead, he demonstrated a quiet confidence that his fate was in the hands of his loving Father. Rather than fighting for control, he simply trusted. That trust was cultivated in solitude, where he sought his Father's presence and perspective.
Jesus invites us into the same way of seeing. By spending time alone with God, we gain spiritual eyes to understand what he’s doing and how he’s inviting us—perhaps challenging us—to respond.
Reflection Questions
How would adopting Jesus’ view of hardship affect your response to life’s “bad” moments?
Lord, what are you teaching me in today’s reading?
Lord, what else have you said to me through thoughts, circumstances, conversations, emotions, or the work of the enemy?
Lord, what do you want me to do: At home? At work? In ministry?