What a wonderful hike, Father! I enjoyed my time out in Your creation – it was beautiful and I so enjoyed Your company!
Mark 1:12-13 (<<click to read the passage)
Temptation – it’s awful, isn’t it? Right now I am sitting in my office at home and I am trying very hard not to think of the Peanut M&Ms in the candy dish in the living room, the chips and crackers in the pantry, the cheese, and yogurt in the refrigerator but…they are there! And in a regimented, controlled situation none of them are so bad that we need to get rid of them.
I need to lose more weight. I need to keep my blood sugar under control and if I am diligent I might be able to eradicate my diabetes all together!
Those are good goals to have but saying “no” is sure not easy! My morning hike helped but it’s no excuse to binge. I will be having a reasonable salad with Karen for lunch but that doesn’t give me permission to chuck down more carbohydrates this afternoon.
God created this world and declared it good. Where we get into trouble is when we take things out of the context in which He intended them to be kept. Or we can overindulge, going outside the realm of moderation, and we pay the price physically and mentally!
Because Jesus is fully God and fully man, he experienced temptation just as well do. But instead of yielding, he remained strong and overcame it. My study Bible* states:
Because Jesus faced temptations and overcame them, he can assist us in two important ways: (1) as an example of how to face temptation without sinning, and (2) as a helper who knows just what we need because he went through the same experience.
It’s totally impossible to not eventually give in when we go it alone but, Lord, thank You for always being at our side and guiding and directing us to do what is right and holy. Help us to lean on You so we don’t yield! Amen.
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
Jan 10th, 2019, Thurs, 10:28 am
