Stand

I Corinthians 10:1-13 (NIV)

¹²So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!

¹³No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.

But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Last week, we read about Jesus' temptation by the Devil in the wilderness.

We learned that Jesus was able to stand firm, even while starving and weak, because of his deep sense of purpose and identity. And because of his knowledge of, and embodiment of, scripture.

So what about us?

Did you decide to intentionally expose yourself to temptation during this Lenten season? Have you "given something up?"

How is that working? What does it feel like?

If you picked something that's hard enough...it's definitely not easy. We know that "thing x, y or z" is not good for us. That's probably why we chose it. But we're drawn to some seductive part of it anyway.

Some good news: Paul reminds the Corinthians, "no temptation has seized you except what is common to man."

Some more good news: St. Paul himself...one of the greatest and most prolific Jesus-followers who ever lived, wrote this about his own struggled in Romans 7 (from The Message)

Yes. I'm full of myself—after all, I've spent a long time in sin's prison.

What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise.

So if I can't be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God's command is necessary.

^17-20But I need something more!

For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help!

I realize that I don't have what it takes.

I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway.

My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.

^21-23It happens so regularly that it's predictable.

The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight.

Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.

²⁴I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?

²⁵The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does.

He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.

We will fail, and fall, regularly, to temptation. But, that's not who we're called to be, forever. Know that we are not the first to struggle, nor will we be the last.

There is a war between the "heart and the flesh." But there is also help. "He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions." Let's make the most of this Lenten season to find out what that really means.

Grace & Peace,

Adam

No secret meaning to the song today...it's "The Temptations." And, my favorite song of theirs for all time, "I wish it would rain," although I definitely don't wish that today.