A thought to start Lent with: Laying in Wait

The devil never seems finished with us. He waits for the next best chance to take us off course.

“When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.” - Luke 4:13 NIV

Reflection

Lent gives us space. Space to slow down. Space to examine. Space to prepare for Resurrection Sunday. That is not accidental.

When Jesus went into the desert for forty days, it was not random. It was preparation. It was testing. It was focus.

If you read the account in Luke, you land on a haunting line at the end of chapter four. The devil left Him until an opportune time.

That means he did not quit. He did not concede. He simply waited.

There is something sobering about that. The enemy does not need to rush. He watches. He studies. He looks for fatigue. He looks for pride. He looks for isolation. He looks for moments when discipline slips and attention drifts.

And if we are honest, we have all drifted.

Sin is not always loud. Sometimes it is familiar. Sometimes it becomes normal. When that happens, we stop feeling its weight. We adjust. We justify. We look around and see others doing the same and assume it must be fine.

Social media makes this obvious. Gossip. Slander. Half truths. Quick reactions that feel justified in the moment. It is easy to spot that kind of sin in others.

It is harder to see what is quietly forming inside our own hearts. That is where the enemy often works.

Now look back at Jesus. He did not panic. He did not negotiate. He answered temptation with truth. He responded with Scripture. At that time there was no New Testament. There were no printed Bibles in every home. There was the Word passed down, known, internalized. He was prepared.

We are even more equipped. We have the Old Testament. The New Testament. The witness of the resurrection. The indwelling Holy Spirit.

The model is clear. Make time daily. Speak honestly to the Father. Listen. Surrender your desires when they conflict with His will. Stay centered. Stay connected.

Here is the good news. Just as the devil waits for an opportunity, so does the Holy Spirit. One tempts. One convicts. One pulls toward self. One pulls toward life.

Both require your attention. Lent is a season to decide which voice you will lean toward. The enemy lays in wait. So does grace. The question is simple. Which one are you feeding?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, You speak clearly. No gimmicks. No confusion. You tell us the truth and you invite us to walk in it. Help us pay attention. Help us see the subtle drift before it becomes a fall. Strengthen our discipline. Sharpen our awareness. Keep us close to You. When we miss it, remind us this is a lifelong journey. Not perfection, but faithfulness. Keep our eyes on Jesus. Keep our homes protected. Keep our hearts steady. We long for the day we are home with You. Until then, teach us to walk this road well. In the name of Jesus our Lord and Savior, Amen.