Temptation: A desire or craving for something, especially something considered wrong.
Yesterday after church we went out to eat. The first thing I saw beautifully photographed was a delicious dessert called molten lava. Mmmmmm, this chocolate cake filled with hot chocolaty syrup, crowned with a hefty scoop of vanilla ice-cream and a chocolate crunchy shell drizzled on top, had no chance to survive between my daughter Holly and me. This temptation was ordered the same time our appetizers were. We craved that dessert and boy oh boy was it delicious! All that was left on that plate were a few remnants of the syrup. I could have easily brought that plate to my face and licked the rest of the plate clean, but I don’t believe that would have been proper.
This dessert didn't stand a chance!
That temptation was powerful, but it wasn’t as corrupt for us (me and Holly) as the many other temptations that occur in our lives.
The media and our society are inundated with things that are tempting and are not morally good for us. I could list so many wrong desires and spend a whole day discussing this topic, but I only have about ten minutes left until it’s time to wake the rest of the house for our day to begin.
I will briefly mention the temptation many of our children have in our middle and high schools today, and that is drinking and drugs, and ask you all to pray for our youth.
This start this past weekend off, a learned of a friend who has experienced this “succumbing to temptation” with her son. I will confess, she is not alone! I have been there, and I know many others who have also.
The next day, after learning about my friend’s high-school age son, another friend mentioned prayer for her adult son who has been battling drugs for the past couple of years. She said that he is lucky to be alive today. That mom’s cry for prayer was so intimately felt and lifted up.
To end the weekend, I learned of an acquaintance who evidently enjoy celebrating Cinco de Mayo a bit too much and was arrested with a DUI.
I’m sure you could all chime in and tell of your own story with the temptation of drinking and drugs (if not, Praise God!). What we need to do is pray. Pray hard. Pray continuously. Pray specifically.
In my scripture reading this morning I read in Luke 22:39-46 that Jesus told the disciples to “Pray that you will not fall into temptation”. He didn’t say this once, but twice in this set of scriptures alone.
Then, when I turned to Psalm 56:13, I am reminded that we can be delivered from temptation and that Deliverer is God. It says, “For You have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.”
Oh, how I pray for a hedge of protection around you and yours today.
May we not fall into temptation. May we be delivered from our temptations. May we pray for others to not fall or to come out of a temptatious situation.
When these instances happen to you, I pray that you will be made stronger in Christ and will be able to one day use this time in your life to help others grow closer to God and not have them make the same mistakes you did.
God is our Deliverer!
May 7