The fruit of temptation
Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Genesis 3-4; Psalms 5, 6
Genesis 3:4-6 (NIV)
4 “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
I Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)
13 No 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.
Good morning!
“Know-it-all!” Those words still sting in the memory of my mind. I resented being called a “know-it-all” in school. I didn’t really know it all, but there were times when it would have helped. It would have been easier to have the answers before I took the test. I would have liked to have known when the pop quizzes were being given, so I could prepare myself for the “surprise” exam. If only I had the math questions in advance of my trip to the blackboard, maybe I could have solved the equation at my desk and not been embarrassed in front of the entire class. Sometimes it would be great just to have the inside scoop. Wouldn’t it?
Humans possess a curiosity for the unknown, and this desire begins very early in life. There was a period of time when I found myself saying no repeatedly to my young children. I would repeat the words over and over again: “Don’t touch this,” or “You must leave this alone!” A mobile baby who has discovered they can reach and grab, wants nothing more than to touch and taste the objects just out of their reach. As parents, we see the imminent danger and recognize how our child might be in harm’s way. We say no with good reason; yet, it doesn’t always deter the child from reaching up and taking something they shouldn’t have.
When Eve saw the fruit hanging from the tree in the middle of the garden, she was hungry. It looked good and smelled delicious. But this fruit was different. God gave instructions not to eat from the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden. The tempter suggested she should eat from it despite God’s instruction, because this fruit would give Eve the one thing she really wanted: the inside edge. Eve could be just like God. She would recognize good and evil for what it truly is. Eve longed for this wisdom because it might place her in a position of control. She wanted to be in the know. Eve took the fruit and ate it. She was generous enough to share some with her husband, who apparently didn’t hesitate to take a bite when she offered it to him. They were not prepared for the consequences of their disobedience. Their eyes were immediately opened, and they were filled with shame and embarrassment. Their relationship with the Lord had been broken, and life as they knew it was about to change abruptly.
Our sight is limited. We may not always understand the reason behind God’s instruction, and there may be a time when we may think we know better or ought to have more control over the direction of our life. The Lord wants us to be obedient to His Word, especially when we don’t understand. Being tempted is not a sin - acting on the temptation is. When you find yourself teetering between obeying God or choosing your own path, stop and ask Him for help. God’s Word will help you avoid the fruit of temptation.
Grace and peace,
Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com
Pray for: an obedient heart. If you ask, God will help you overcome the temptation to sin.
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