Not by bread alone

Here's our first lenten devotional reading:Luke 4:1-4
1Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. 3The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread." 4Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone.'"
I thought about this passage a lot when I first became a vegan. A big part of my experience was doing without foods I liked and generally having less to eat. This passage was a source of encouragement to me and a reminder that sometimes the things we enjoy keep us from seeing the other blessings we have. Often our lives are cluttered by things we don't need; giving something up can help us see our reliance on God and trust God's love more intentionally. What does your body tell you when you're hungry? What do you live on besides bread? What might God be trying to tell you today?

Prayer: Loving God, help us to pause, to rest in your presence, and to trust you. Thank you for the gift of food and time. Thank you for the chance to reflect on our blessings and to explore our lives. Guide us by your Spirit as we take this Lenten journey and open our hearts to you. Amen.