Real Living
OPENING PRAYER:
Dear Lord, please help me keep my heart and mind focused on You. Everything good in this world comes from You. Help me to resist the temptations of this world that do nothing but create distance between us.
Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.
Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”
But he refused, “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. Genesis 39:4-10 (NIV)
REFLECT:
Golf is a funny game. Unlike most sports, when it comes to the rules and following them, it’s pretty much up to you. Normally there isn’t a referee to “make you” do the right thing. Chances are you can improve the lie of your ball, disregard a penalty stroke or pick up a short putt because it was “good,” and no one else will know the difference. What you choose to do when these opportunities present themselves reveals much about your character. Whether or not our identity is in Christ works much the same way anytime we face sinful temptations.
In golf, even if no one else knows you broke the rules, you know you did. When it comes to succumbing to temptation, even if we fall to it privately, God knows. When our identity is not in Christ it’s likely that choosing sin will come easy, with little regret. When our identity is in Christ, however, we will desire to resist temptation. When our identity is in Christ we desire to please God who so graciously gave us the gift of eternal life. Our desire to please God doesn’t mean we won’t ever give in to sin. What it does mean is we will fight to resist temptation at every turn, something very pleasing to God.
APPLY:
Do you find that you face temptations to sin more than you would like? If so, take inventory of where you place your attention each day. What we focus on we tend to get more of. If you determine you go to places, online or for real, that feed your temptations, then consider finding something else to spend time on. A great place to start is by spending time in the Word. Exchanging that which feeds your temptations for God’s Word can make all the difference.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Thank you Jesus for being the savior we all need whether we think we deserve it or not. Thank you for always loving us and never leaving us, especially when we are running or hiding from you.