Thoughts for another day 

July 14, 2011

Today's verse: Mk. 14:38. Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

As a committed Christian, devoted to doing God's work, I've distilled the nature of our Scripture above and found it to be so true.  I maintain the devil always attacks you in your domain of sinful interest and makes it seemingly impossible for you to resist them and you find yourself, melding into his cauldron of trickery and evil.  Yes, he always sways you through the things you crave, for example, if you love chocolate he ensures you're gluttonous to eat more of it, gorging on kilos of chocolate, even undergoing a physical metamorphosis making you look like a gorilla.  If you love gold and other such condiments of external attire, he ensures you persist in this dressing up so that eventually, you end up looking like a gilt-edged cosmetic box.

Yes, his temptations are so sensible it's not surprising we fall into them.  You can imagine Jesus' hunger after His fast and the devil tempted Him, knowing here was Someone, who could if He wanted, turn stones into bread, so he approaches the Lord accordingly, but Jesus quotes Scripture and sends him packing.  So it's clear that when he tempts us, we too need to have a tool to show him the door.  To this end the Bible is our best mechanism for both defense and offense.  But, do we know the pages of the Bible?  Have we gone through this love letter of God Word by Word to be familiar with its nuances so as to be equipped on the day of trial?

My friend it's not difficult to resist the devil, no matter how shrewd and opportunistic he seems to be.   Yes, as Scripture says above, our spirit is willing and ready but the carnal flesh is weak, even then, it's only a matter of sitting at the feet of the Lord just communing with Him which will give us the strength to defray the devil's barbs and strike him with the same barbs he throws at us.  Just pray and pray and believe; all will be well with you.