Friends in Fellowship – PtP Prayer Letter – March 2026

Dear Friends

Some of us must be observing Lent as a spiritual discipline. It is also an important season in the liturgical Calendar. The forty days of Lent start on Ash Wednesday and end with Holy Saturday, the day after Good Friday. It affords us all a focused time of reading, reflection and renewal. One theme that stands out during Lenten reflections is freedom. Just as God set the Israelites free from the bondage of slavery, Jesus sets us free from the bondage of sin (Matt.1:21). No one can offer what they do not have. Therefore, Jesus had to overcome the temptations of the devil to gain that authority to offer us a life of freedom from slavery to sin.

The devil tempted Jesus, saying, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones be bread.” The devil knew that Jesus had power over material things, and he was tempting him to use it for his own satisfaction. Jesus resisted. However, Jesus fed the multitudes with next to nothing. He employed his power to feed the hungry. But when the multitudes continued to look for a free meal, he said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” True freedom is to be able to employ your ability to feed the hungry, both physically and spiritually. It is a time to come out of our selfishness and enter into that freedom to feed others.

Jesus was further tempted to throw himself down from the pinnacle of the temple. The devil wanted Jesus to test God to see if he would really keep his promise to protect him from any harm. Jesus refused to abuse the promises of God. Instead, he used His power over life to raise Lazarus from the dead, save his disciples from perishing in the storm and heal people of their leprosy. True freedom is to know that you are empowered in several ways to pour new life into dying and perishing people.

Finally, the devil knew that God would eventually put all the kingdoms under the authority of Jesus. He tempted Jesus to escape from suffering and dying on the cross and take the shortcut by worshipping him. Jesus resisted and chose the cross. True freedom is to worship the Lord, carry the cross and receive our inheritance. Any route, plan or scheme that avoids the cross is denying God and worshipping the devil.

How does your freedom look? This Lent, can we be truly free to employ all our power, abilities and soul in worship and service of the Lord? Can we fast from using these things for ourselves and be other-centred?

Yours truly.
Dr. Samson Gandhi