READ: MATTHEW 4:1-11; 26:36-56; 27:27-46; HEBREWS 4:14-16

When was the last time you were hungry? I’m not talking about your typical hunger; I’m talking about the “I haven’t eaten a single thing in over a week” kind of hunger. Most of us have not had to experience this level of hunger, and it’s mind-boggling to consider how Jesus did this willingly—not just for a week, but for forty days!

Matthew wrote that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted, or tested, by the devil (4:1). It wasn’t until after Jesus had fasted for forty days and nights that Satan came to tempt him. Why would the Holy Spirit lead Jesus into this wilderness? Why would Jesus fast?

Jesus was being prepared for the journey before Him—specifically to the cross. Laying down His life as His Father asked was no simple task. It was bloody and brutal, painful till the end. He took on the punishment for all of our sins on the cross. The whole experience was so excruciating that He cried out to His Father, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (27:46).

All of this, including Jesus’s temptation in the wilderness, was for our benefit. Jesus loves us. He is fully God, yet He is also fully human, and He was tempted in every way when He was on this earth. So we can take comfort in times of testing, because Jesus is with us, and He knows how we feel. And Hebrews 4:14-16 calls Jesus our Great High Priest. Because of His sacrifice on the cross for us and His victorious resurrection, we no longer have to go to a priest to make atonement for our sins as they did in the Old Testament. Instead, we can trust in the blood of Jesus alone to save us. God the Father no longer sees our sins, but the righteousness of His Son covering us.

Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can approach God’s throne with freedom and confidence, certain that we will receive God’s mercy and grace to help us in our times of need and temptation. • Savannah Coleman

• Resisting temptation is hard—Jesus is the only one who did it perfectly! When we’re struggling with temptation of any kind, Jesus empathizes with us. He has so much compassion for us, and He wants to help us. Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can know that He has given us His Holy Spirit, along with His Word (the Bible) and His people (the church), to help us resist temptation and follow God by living in His good ways. Can you think of a time Jesus helped you resist temptation? Consider taking some time to thank Him for that today!

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7 (NIV) 

READ: JOHN 4:7-42; 7:37-39; 10:10-11

I stand in a large room, staring at a table. About twenty cups, ranging from jeweled goblets to simple glasses, are arranged before me.

I walk to the table and pick up the biggest, fanciest goblet. The word “Money” is laid out in beautiful jewels. The drink inside tastes like soda. It satisfies my thirst for a moment, but soon my mouth is dry once again.

I take another cup, this one engraved with the word “Popularity.” It’s full of what looks like pink lemonade. It tastes wonderful for a second, but then, once again, I am thirsty.

I drink from several more glasses, tasting “Power,” “Lust,” and “Control.” Another, which reads, “Good Works,” is filled to the brim with water mixed with a drink powder. None of the cups satisfy me. I am always left dry.

But what is this? Hidden behind an ornate goblet is a humble mug with the words “Salvation in Jesus” painted on it. It’s filled with…water? That doesn’t seem as good as the other drinks. But nothing else has worked.

I taste the water in the mug. It is good! I take another sip, and another. I drink the whole mug. At last, I am no longer thirsty. The water has quenched my unquenchable thirst. • Natalie Crowe

• Today’s allegorical story is inspired by John 4:7-15 and John 7:37-39. Which cup has been most enticing to you lately—money, popularity, power, lust, control, good works, or something else? How has this cup disappointed you in the past?

• Jesus offers us “living water” (John 7:38). If we put our trust in Him, we receive eternal life and the Holy Spirit—who is God living in us—and the love of God fills us! Why is God’s love the only thing that will never leave us empty? (Hint: read Romans 5:5-8; 8:28-39).

• If you want to know more about what it means to put your trust in Jesus, see our "Know Jesus" page.

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14 (NIV) 

READ: GENESIS 1:1-3; PSALM 102:25-27; JOHN 1:1-3; EPHESIANS 1:4-6

Before the stars in radiance shone,
Before anyone had ever seen or known
The beauty of a sky at night,
Before there was even dark or light,
You were there.

Before the earth had shape or form,
Or the sea was told its bounds,
Before the hills were adorned with trees
And never had a plant been found,
You were there.

Before the waters teemed with life
Or any creature had its name,
Before man breathed
Or life became,
You were there.

Forever You have been.
You made it all with “Let there be.”
You brought it forth with just a word.
You are the holy Lord of lords.

God has always been and always will be. He doesn’t have a beginning or an end. Just imagine, long before the world was made, long before God brought it into being, He already had a plan for saving us from sin. Sin didn’t come as a surprise to Him. He knew all along that we would turn away from Him, and He still created us. He had the plan in place from the beginning—to rescue us from sin and death through Jesus’s death and resurrection, and to restore all that has been broken by sin at Jesus’s glorious return.

And God has had a plan for you—ever since He first made the world—and even before. He knew exactly when and where you would be born, and who would come into your life to lead you to Him. Praise be to God, the Eternal One and the Creator of the world! • Haley Walts

• Have you ever thought about how God has always existed and always will? We can never fully wrap our brains around God’s eternality, and that’s okay. Consider taking some time to praise God in prayer or song, expressing any awe and wonder you feel about His eternal nature.

• How does it make you feel to know that God always had a plan to save you? (If you want to know more about this good news, see our "Know Jesus" page.)

Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. Psalm 90:2 (NIV)  

READ: MATTHEW 5:14-16, 1 CORINTHIANS 3:6-9

Do you know that painful feeling when you turn on a light first thing in the morning or in the middle of the night? When you’ve been in a dark room for a while, light stings your eyes and makes you want to keep them closed.

In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus says, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Light is good! If you are a Christian, you are light in a world filled with darkness. But not everyone knows this light is good.

In John 8:12, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” This is good news! Jesus is God. He lived a perfect, sinless life on earth, sacrificed His life for our sins, rose from the grave, and ascended into heaven, where He sits enthroned over all. Because of His sacrifice and resurrection, God forgives us for our sins and promises to raise us to eternal life when Jesus returns and makes all things new. If you’ve put your trust in Jesus, you have His Holy Spirit living in you, and that means you can share the light of Jesus with everyone through what you say and what you do.

But sometimes, it can be hard to share this good news with others. They might not want to hear it at first, or they might not understand it right away. It’s not easy to hear you’re a sinner who needs forgiveness! When you’ve been living in darkness for a while, light can be painful. We need patience when telling others the good news. Eventually, as they experience God’s love and kindness, they will learn the light is good—but for a while, they may choose to keep their eyes closed. But be encouraged. If you plant the seed, God can make it grow. We are called to share our faith, but ultimately, God is the one who leads people to Him. • Elizabeth Cooper

• God is so very patient with us, and He keeps loving us, even when we pull away from Him. If we know Jesus, His love fills our hearts to overflowing, so we can love others and be patient with them too (1 John 4:19). Is there someone in your life God might be inviting you to share your faith with? How could you keep patiently loving them even if they seem uninterested?

• If you want to dig deeper, read Matthew 4:16; John 3:19-21; Ephesians 5:1-20; Philippians 2:1-15

[Jesus said,] “You are the light of the world.” Matthew 5:14 (NIV) 

READ: LUKE 15:1-4; ROMANS 5:5; 1 JOHN 4:7-21

God loves you. If you’ve grown up in church, you’ve probably heard that a thousand times (I hope!), but it’s always worth repeating.

So what does it mean that God loves us? To get the most accurate picture of God’s love, we can look to Jesus, who is God. Love is, at its core, selflessly giving oneself to someone else. Jesus did this for us when He came and lived among us as a human, took our sins upon Himself, gave up His life through the excruciatingly painful death of the cross, and then rose from the dead so that everyone who trusts in Him can live with Him forever.

This truth is completely absurd. It makes no sense. Why would God do any of this for us? Maybe it would be slightly less crazy if we had done something amazing for God—if we had somehow earned even a tiny particle of the love He gives us. If we had something incredible to offer God in return for His love, then maybe, just maybe, we could start to wrap our minds around His reasons for loving us the way He does.

But, unless His Holy Spirit changes us, do you know what we have to offer God? Sin. Rebellion. Intentional disobedience. Hatred toward His goodness and love. The only thing we have to offer God is our incredible neediness. And you know what? Jesus went to the cross because God saw our neediness and reached out to help us. When we recognize how badly we need Jesus, and put our trust in Him, we are covered with Jesus’s righteousness. Though we’ll continue to struggle with sin until Jesus returns, God sees us as blameless. And as we grow in our relationship with Jesus, we experience God’s love more and more. His love is so good, it transforms us and overflows to others.

The Bible tells us God is love (1 John 4:8, 16). That doesn’t mean God is sentimental—it means He is self-sacrificing. He will do whatever it takes to bring us to Himself. That is the love He has for us. And that is the love He empowers us to show others. • Taylor Eising

• If someone were to ask you about God’s love, how could you describe it? How could you show it?

• When you have questions about Jesus’s love, who is a trusted Christian in your life you could talk to about it? (And for more about how God’s love can change our lives, see our "Know Jesus" page.)

This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 1 John 4:10 (NLT) 

READ: JOHN 15:12-15; ROMANS 12:9-10; GALATIANS 6:2

I’ll never forget Valentine’s Day my freshman year of high school. There was a boy in my English class who was super cute, and even though we hadn’t ever uttered more than a greeting to each other, I kept my hopes up that Valentine’s Day would spark something more.

On my way to catch the bus that morning, I found a balloon bouquet on my porch. Giddy, I spent the whole ride to school wondering who could’ve sent it to me. All day in class, my mind spun with romantic fantasies. When I arrived home, I read the note attached to the balloons, only to discover this wasn’t a grand romantic gesture from a secret admirer. It was a surprise from my best friend, a sister in Christ who I didn’t get to see often but always encouraged me. I’ll admit, I was disappointed. I didn’t feel special anymore. This wasn’t my year to be someone’s valentine.

Later, God helped me realize He had given me a good gift, even if it wasn’t a mutual crush. He blessed me with a godly friend who showed me the genuine and generous love of Christ. While romance (and, maybe someday, marriage) are good things that God created to bless us and further His kingdom, sometimes we forget that friendship is also a gift from our Creator. Crushes may come and go, but godly friends can leave a lasting impact on our spiritual journeys.

Friendships offer us a unique opportunity to live out the selfless love of Jesus, whether that be through forgiving mistakes or supporting each other through hardships. Practicing selflessness not only helps cultivate authentic relationships, but it reminds us of how Jesus, who loves us most of all, laid down His life so that we can have an eternal relationship with Him.

It’s natural to long for romance and affection, particularly from someone we admire, but what our hearts need most of all is the sustaining love of Christ. As we walk closely with Jesus, we will overflow with His everlasting love (John 15:5; Romans 5:5). • Hannah Chung

• It’s not wrong to desire romance and, maybe someday, marriage. As we navigate crushes, and all the hopes and disappointments they bring, it helps to talk with trusted Christian friends and mentors who can remind us that God sees us and cares about us. Who could do this for you?

• Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be a lonely time for single people—it can be an opportunity to show friends how much they mean to us. Even though we may feel alone, God is with us, ready to welcome us into His family with open arms (Genesis 16:13). Consider asking God to help you notice ways you could bless others and show them the love of His eternal family this week.

[Jesus said,] “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13 (NIV) 

READ: JOHN 17:13-19; 2 CORINTHIANS 3:18; 2 PETER 3:9

I waited for my turn at the campground shower stall with my coin ready. After dropping the coin in the slot, I turned on the hot water and began rushing through my morning shower.

As a missionary in New Zealand, I joined a group of students and ministry staff on what we called “Beach Project.” In a resort town over a holiday week, we interacted with vacationers on the seashore in hopes of sharing about Christ. We stayed in tents at a campground during the mission project and aimed to have spiritual conversations with people there too.

Showering at the campsites presented a challenge. For one coin, we got access to a limited amount of hot water. Once the time expired, no more hot water. During those showers, I really needed to hurry.

Sometimes situations in life require that we rush (such as oversleeping for class or work). In my case, limited hot water on a cool morning pushed me to hurry. But God Himself never gets in a hurry, especially with our spiritual growth.

In Philippians 1:6, we read, “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.” God launches that “good work” of transformation in us— making us more and more like Jesus—when we acknowledge our need for forgiveness of sins and put our trust in Christ, believing He died and rose again to secure that forgiveness.

Though our rescue from sin and death happens the moment we turn to Jesus for forgiveness and new life, our maturity is a process. It takes time to “grow up” in Christ.

Romans 8:1 assures us, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” This is good news for us: In Jesus, we’re accepted and loved, right where we are, by the Father who takes His time to grow us and transform us through and through. • Allison Wilson Lee

• Is there an area of your life where you’ve been discouraged by lack of spiritual growth? Consider taking a moment to bring your discouragement to Jesus. In addition to talking to Him, who are trusted Christians in your life you could share your hopes and frustrations with?

• Why is it so important for us to know that we’re fully accepted in Christ while we’re still “in process”?

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 (NIV) 

READ: GALATIANS 3:26–4:7

She chose the name Sojourner Truth because she believed God had called her to speak the truth to others—especially about slavery. But she was born in New York as a slave named Isabella Bomfree in 1797, and she and her five children were legally owned by others. In 1827, she took her infant daughter and left, finding shelter with an abolitionist family, the Van Wegenens. They bought her freedom for twenty dollars. This family’s faith strongly affected Isabella, who became a Christian and went to work for an evangelist named Elijah Pierson. Isabella changed her name to Sojourner Truth and began to speak at revival meetings. Though uneducated, she spoke powerfully about the evils of slavery, often quoting the Bible in her speeches. Sojourner’s influence increased during the Civil War, and she was invited to meet President Lincoln at the White House in 1864. She lived to see slavery ended, and her children as free people in America. Sojourner Truth died in Battle Creek, Michigan, in 1883, where there is now a statue to her memory.

In an 1863 speech, Sojourner said, “Children, who made your skin white? Was it not God? Who made mine black? Was it not the same God?…And did not the same Savior die to save the one as well as the other?” Sojourner knew Jesus loved her. Everyone is made in God’s image, and Christ’s cross makes all people equal in God’s eyes. In Galatians, the Apostle Paul writes that we’re all born slaves to sin, but everyone who has put their trust in Jesus is now God’s child by faith. Therefore, as Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Sojourner Truth was God’s free woman in Christ because of her faith in Jesus’s death and resurrection. Her work to abolish slavery—and the work of many others—made her a free woman in America as well. • Laura N. Sweet

• Because she believed God had called her to speak the truth, she changed her name from Isabella Bomfree to Sojourner Truth. What truth has God called you to speak? About God? About humanity? About the Bible?

• How does Christianity leave no room for racism? (Genesis 1:26-31; Romans 10:12-13; Revelation 7:9)

So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. Galatians 4:7 (NIV)

READ: JOHN 1:12; 16:25-33; ROMANS 8:14-17; 1 JOHN 3:1

It seemed like a good idea at the time: jumping from the chair in our pre-school Sunday school class. But I changed my mind in mid-air, reaching my arm toward the floor to break the fall. I did break the fall; I also broke my little three-year-old arm in the process.

Just as the pain rocketed through my body and I began wailing, my teacher, Miss Diane, scooped me up in her arms. She held me close, whispering reassuring words. I looked in Miss Diane’s face and saw such tenderness that, all these years later, it’s her compassion that stands out in my memory more than the injury.

Our lives sometimes surprise us with pain that seems to come out of nowhere—much like my broken arm that resulted from Sunday morning playtime. Sometimes we experience loss and hurt due to our own mistakes or sins; other times, we’re wounded (physically or emotionally) because others harm us; and often, we go through pain simply because we live in a broken world.

Even after we’ve placed our faith in Jesus to pay the penalty for our sins and we’ve received God’s forgiveness, we’re not immune to troubles and disappointments. Jesus Himself knew pain during His life on earth. Isaiah 53:3 refers to Him as “a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.

But, as God’s much-loved children, we can count on His presence with us throughout our lives—especially during the most painful times. He’s near to the broken-hearted (Psalm 34:18), and He’s the good Shepherd who restores our souls (Psalm 23:3; John 10:11). Like Miss Diane comforted me during my tears and agony, Jesus remains close in our suffering so that, in Him, we may have peace. • Allison Wilson Lee

• Has any hurt slammed into your life recently? Do you have long-term pain or grief from a past event? Consider taking some time to tell Jesus about this. Remember, He can relate to our loss.

• What difference can it make to know that Jesus is close when we feel broken? Do you feel like you can trust Him for that? Why or why not?

[Jesus said,] “Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me.” John 16:32 (NLT) 

READ: GENESIS 1:26-27; PSALM 139:13-17; ZEPHANIAH 3:17; EPHESIANS 2:4-10

I shouldn’t have even brought this into the fitting room, Makenna thought. Dresses like these don’t look good on girls like me.

But her friends hadn’t understood her hesitation. They were trying on prom dresses and thought she should do the same. Tears stung in Makenna’s eyes as she took a glance in the mirror. She hated her size and shape. She wished she looked like her friends.

“Come out and show us,” the other girls called.

Makenna swallowed. “It doesn’t fit right. I must have grabbed the wrong size.”

“What size do you need? I’ll go get it.”

“No!” Makenna tugged on the zipper at the back of the dress. “I’m done for today.”

When she stepped out of the fitting room in her t-shirt and jeans, the other girls were all wearing the dresses they’d found. To Makenna, they looked perfectly petite and happy.

Makenna slouched into a chair in the corner of the room, wishing she could be like them.

Many of us have felt this way. Maybe your story isn’t exactly the same, but it’s close. Maybe you feel ugly. Maybe you think that you’re too fat or too thin or that you don’t belong with your friends. Maybe you’ve even felt unworthy of God’s love because of how you look.

But your worth and the love God has for you are not based on your appearance. The truth is, God created you in His image, and He loves you so much. You are precious to Him. So precious that He came to die and rise again to save you from sin and death. When Jesus returns, He will make all things new, and all the pain and heartache that sin causes will be gone forever. But until that day, even though worldly beauty standards will continue to change based on where and when we live, our worth and beauty in the eyes of Jesus will never change. We can rest securely in Him, knowing that our worth is found not in what other people think of us—or even what we think of ourselves—but in the love of our Creator and Savior. • Bethany Acker

• We all struggle with feeling uncomfortable in our own bodies from time to time, and Jesus has so much compassion on us. Consider taking some time to ask Him to help you see yourself how He sees you—and to see others how He sees them too.

• If you’re struggling to see your worth, who is a trusted Christian you could talk to about this?

This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 1 John 4:10 (NLT)