Theme: Beyond: Next Level Living, Week Two - How To Win Over Temptation
Read: 2 Samuel 11: 1-5; Proverbs 4:23
Think: Skating on thin ice! We all know the phrase and each winter there seems to be a story of someone who either walked on ice or went onto ice to rescue their dog (not cats you notice Pastor Ben!) Each time we shake our heads and wonder what they were thinking, why they risked going onto something they didn’t know would hold them and was such a risk to their life. Isn’t that what we all do though?
This weekend Pastor Ben continued the series ‘Beyond’ and talked to us about how to win over temptation. We all have an area of weakness which we are likely to not only be drawn to, but will lead us to fall through the” ice” into the icy water below. For King David it was women. He skated on thin ice with Bathsheba and fell through. He had many opportunities to turn from his weakness; he could have avoided the roof at that time of day, or turned his gaze away when he saw a woman bathing. He could have diverted his thoughts when he learned she was married, he could have not called her to come to him or even sent her home again before anything happened. Like us he probably thought he could take just one more step on the ice and nothing would happen… right up until he fell through and gave in to temptation.
When should he have stopped? Well it would have been best if he had not even gone to the roof wouldn’t it? Then he wouldn’t have had thoughts and images tempting him from then on. For us it is the same. If we know we have a weakness in an area in which the enemy finds it easy to tempt us, we should learn from David. We shouldn’t take a step out onto the ice to see how far it will let us go but just stay on the firm, solid path. We need to protect our hearts and not put ourselves in positions where we are vulnerable and at risk. We are in the best position to protect ourselves; we know where we are at risk and where the thin ice is in our lives.
What also helps is having someone you trust who knows you and your area of struggle that can stand beside you. They can say “be careful, you’re skating on thin ice!” Being accountable makes us think more about our actions and the potential consequences. And helps us judge the wisdom of going out onto the ice!
Do: Think about those people that God has given you to help you stay off the ice and away from temptation. If you do not have someone you feel you can trust enough, pray that God will show you who you can be accountable to. Think about the area of your life where you get closest to the ice and work out ways that can help you stay on the path and away from temptation. What is your next right step?
Pray: Lord, thank you that you know us. Thank you that you understand our weakness in areas we often find so hard to talk about. Please show us ways to stay clear of temptation and avoid putting our hearts at risk. Help us find people we can trust to stand beside us when we are near the ice and walk with us away from it. Lord we ask for your strength in those times and thank you for your forgiveness when we take steps in the wrong direction. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.