Scripture Scribbles: January 11, 2026

the Gospel

Matthew 3:13-17

Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan

to be baptized by him.

John tried to prevent him, saying,

“I need to be baptized by you,

and yet you are coming to me?”

Jesus said to him in reply,

“Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us

to fulfill all righteousness.”

Then he allowed him.

After Jesus was baptized,

he came up from the water and behold,

the heavens were opened for him,

and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove

and coming upon him.

And a voice came from the heavens, saying,

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

the scribble

“John tried to prevent him.”

As I sit with today’s Gospel, asking the Holy Spirit to guide me, this is the line that strikes me most.

How often do we try to prevent God from doing that He has planned for us in our lives?

Even, as it is in John’s case, for seemingly “good” reasons. We can see this time and again in the Scriptures: People try to stop Jesus from doing what He wishes. For instance, Peter tries to stop Jesus multiple times from carrying out His plans (see John 13:8, Matthew 16:22, Mark 10:13). And each time, Jesus corrects Him. Just as Jesus does to John in today’s Gospel.

And it’s got me thinking about humility and true surrender.

I think often we *think* we’re truly surrendered to God and His plan for our lives. We think we’re “all in”--like Peter or John–but then He goes and does something completely unexpected, or backward, or undesirable, or confusing, or its all just simply taking too long, and we’re so quick to resist it. To stop Him in His tracks. To come up with our own way and offer that– or even go ahead and start implementing it–instead, because surely we must know better, right? This can’t possibly be what Jesus has in mind for me.

As I pray with this resistance, I can feel the Holy Spirit gently inviting me to loosen my grip. To let go of my understanding. To trust Him and His ways, His timing, even when it seems totally opposed to what I’d think He’d do.

It’s a difficult thing to do, no doubt. It takes true humility, true trust, true hope, true surrender. Not just one time, but moment to moment. Everyday. Again and again.

Today, let’s ask the Holy Spirit for the grace to truly surrender our plans for His. Even when we don’t understand them. Even when we’re getting impatient. Even when it hurts.

Lord, give me the grace to trust in you, in all circumstances.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,

and do not return there until they have watered the earth,

making it bring forth and sprout,

giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;

it shall not return to me empty,

but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”

Isaiah 55:7-12

Today’s devotion was written by Rachel Smith