The Truth of The Matter...

God has been teaching me so much, lately, about listening to HIS voice, and not falling into the tempting voice of sin. It is easier, much easier, in fact, to ponder this than it is to live it out. As I am sure you have found, obeying the voice of temptation gives us that instant, temporary satisfaction--yet like a candy bar loaded with sugar, fat, and artificial who-knows-what, it quickly leaves behind a scum which is anything but pleasant. Yet when we obey the voice of our God, whether it be His Aslan-like roar or His gentle whisper, we gain a victory that brings us to our knees and we simply must say, "Yes, Lord!"

This afternoon I was watching a 7-year-old boy, Felix (that's not his real name, but why not go with something a little unusual? =) We had played Connect Four several (several) times, and he had finally opted to go play in his room by himself. I knew this wouldn't be a long break, but I thought I might try to get in a page or two of my book. It fell open to a random page, and I glanced at the sentence, which fit quite well with my thoughts of late:

"Can we ever be immune to temptation?"

I had hardly finished reading this phrase, nor hardly let it register in my mind, when Felix appeared under my nose, blowing a party favor in my face. You know, one of those things you blow at birthday parties, and out rolls a paper tube? Yeah.

I lifted my eyes from the page and did my best to look at Felix in the eyes, despite the fact that a party favor kept hitting me in the nose. In the most authoritative, grown-up voice I could muster, I said, "Felix, please stop."

He laughed.

And continued.

So I tried to ignore him. How do I ever ignore this?, I thought, as he kept on blowing and blowing. Over and over he blew, and over and over I read the phrase, "Can we ever be immune to temptation?"

Then and there in the middle of it, I inwardly grinned, annoyed as I was. It was too funny not too.Weren't my recent temptations a little similar to this scenario?  He eventually said, "Oh, okay, I'll stop," and went on to his next bright idea.

I don't know what tempts you. But I think we could all admit our temptations are just plain silly. We are tempted to be successful, accomplished, popular, pretty, strong, throw a pitty party, or just eat a big bowl of ice cream before bed. Yet that blow in our face occurs over and over, until we either give in or say no. We may not be immune to the deadly temptation disease, but we have a King on our side who will gladly knock it down if we simply ask, listen, and obey.

This evening I read a powerful passage in Jeremiah 2:13:

 "My people have committed two evils. They have forsaken Me, the Fountain of Living Waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water."

I don't know why I choose the sin over the Truth, when I know sin will only satisfy for instant. The truth of the matter is, I am foolish. I drink from the empty when Christ offers the full. Friends, if we do not dip into the well of our Awesome God's strength and obey, who will?