Daily Reflections, Friday, May 8, 2009

Today's Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:13

“Step by careful step, I proceeded through the marsh. Any loud noise would frighten the pheasants I was hunting. Just another step closer, and I would be in the perfect position to flush them out. I shifted my weight to step forward, when CRACK! The ice beneath me split and I fell through. Fortunately for me, the water was only about six inches deep. The ice was solid, but it wasn’t strong enough to bear my weight.

Our will is like a thin layer of ice. If we dwell on a temptation in our minds, it’s not long before we will yield. Our will alone cannot bear the weight of temptation for too long of a time period. Therefore, practices such as solitary confinement, celibacy, and vows of abstinence are ineffective measures against sin. We need something beyond ourselves as reinforcement. God Himself provided a way for us to escape.

God gave us His Word. “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11). We have His Spirit, Who “. . . will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:” (John 16:8). We have His grace, which “. . . is sufficient” (2 Corinthians 12:9). No temptation can penetrate these defenses.

Don’t hesitate to use your reinforcements at school, work, or home. With your reinforcements ready, icebreakers of temptation won’t stand a chance.

Today's Quote: Unwillingness to accept God’s “way of escape” from temptation frightens me — what a rebel yet resides within. —Jim Elliot