And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness….” (Mark 1:11-12).

Put yourself in the place of Jesus. The same Heavenly Father who just showered you with an extraordinary blessing now allows you to undergo the most severe of trials–40 days of temptation.

Describe how you might feel as Jesus. Reflect on your own life: Have you had a similar set of experiences juxtaposed–first a blessing, then a trial? Were you, or are you now, able to perceive God’s loving hand?

–Mark Galli
This is part of Mark Galli’s guided journal, “Discovering the Untamable God,” a 12-week journey through the Gospel of Mark. Twice a week, you’ll receive a new journaling prompt encouraging you encounter the wild, untamable Jesus of the Gospel of Mark and let his radical sayings and actions transform your life. Use these prompts in your own journal or in group discussion. If you’re joining this journal mid-way through, you can start journaling at any time, and stay subscribed at the end, when the journal will restart and you can receive the prompts that you missed.