As I sit here, Father, catching my breath, I am grateful for a good night’s sleep, some nice time with Karen for lunch, and a good brisk walk after taking her back to school. Direct my heart and mind in the direction You would have it go. Amen.
Romans 8:12-13 (<<click here to read the passage)
One thing that drives me a little looney on my elementary route, is when one kid is trying to get another kid’s attention. They’re not sitting together but maybe across the aisle or several seats back. I hear, “Hey Will, Will, Will. Hey, Will, Will! Will! Hey, Will!” – an incessant repetition, until finally I have had it, and I call out, “That’s enough!”
Temptation is often that way. Whatever that temptation may be, and we all struggle with temptation of one sort or another, it seems to be around every corner. It doesn’t always come up and smack us in the face but often just continually pecks at us until we give in…or at least glance in its direction, giving it just enough attention that we’re hooked. Sometimes we can still turn away but oftentimes the door is open just enough that temptations foot is stuck in it, and the next barrage of “Hey, Thom, Thom, Thom!” lures us in that much more quickly. Far too often it leads to our succumbing to, as Paul puts it, our flesh [our human nature, our worldliness, our sinful capacity].
(Can you tell that I have some experience in these things? Don’t we all?)
But another area that I am experienced in is …living] by the [power of the Holy] Spirit which leads me to habitually putting to death the sinful deeds of the body.
In recent weeks, one of my temptations calls out to me on a pretty regular basis and from all different angles. I have found it very helpful to be ready to spit out rebuttals, “NO! Lord help me!” “Nope, I’m not going down that path of thought!” Sometimes I say a prayer. Sometimes it’s a simple calling out to God. Sometimes it’s a hymn – recently Jesus Loves Me was on my mind, and any time temptation reared its ugly head, I would belt out “Jesus loves me, this I know…” I like to think of it as stomping on temptation’s toes, with a mighty yell, “Get that foot outta my door! Jesus lives here and you are not welcome!”
So many times, our temptations began by yielding to something repeatedly. But let me tell you, it works both ways! May the Lord help us to habitually put to death the sinful deeds of the body. The Holy Spirit is more than willing and able to answer our prayers and pleas for help. His strength and tenacity become ours – one step at a time, one day at a time.
It’s time to put an end to some habits by beginning others! Amen!
Feb 16th, 2023, Thurs, 12:52 pm
