Facing the tempters

Reading C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters helps us to realize that there really are tempters around us trying to draw us further from God. It also helps us understand that we can too easily be fooled into thinking we can defeat them alone, or that our sin is not that important.

King Saul fell into this trap, as well. When he went to war with the Amalekites, God told him to wipe them out. But, Saul chose to keep the choice livestock for himself and his men. No big deal, right? He even tells the prophet Samuel, "I have carried out the Lord's instructions." Samuel responds with his sharp wit, "Oh yeah, then why do I hear sheep bleating?"

All sin is important to God. It's easy for us to think that secret sin, the one nobody knows about and that doesn't really hurt anyone, doesn't matter. And that's exactly what the tempters would have you think. That's not important, neither is it the next time, nor is the next step, nor the next and eventually, you're in a pit you can't escape. So, when facing the tempters, it's important to remember to never do it alone. Instead, like David, say, "I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel." It's the only language they understand.

Peace go with you.