I
can accept the statement that the temptations I face are nothing new. Satan is really not picking on me when
adverse things come my way. Others have
faced the same problems and temptations.
Some have faced much more than I.
I can’t call out to God and say “Why me, Lord”?
I
certainly understand the statement that God is faithful. That’s one of the few things I can testify to
about growing old. When I was young I
didn’t have a lot of experiences to fall back on regarding God’s faithfulness
to me. But after all these years, and
all these miles, and all these trials I can stand with the Apostle Paul and
tell you “yes, God is faithful”.
When
my sweet Mama died she asked me this question, “He won’t leave me will
He”? I was able to tell her with absolute
assurance, “No Ma’am He will never leave you”. God is faithful.
When
Paul said that our God will not allow us to be tempted “above” or more than we
are able to stand, I understand that. He
is our loving Father. If we love our children, if we love our
grandchildren, if we know how to love anyone or anything….our God, our Father
loves us so much more and He will not put anything on us that will drive us
beyond our limits and His care.
But
the statement in the 13th verse regarding escape has caused me to pause and consider it's meaning. Let me quote it to you from the
KJV. (The real Bible) “…but
will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear
it”.
The
thought I’ve always had regarding this statement has been that God would insert
some special circumstance, some supernatural occurrence, some angel, some
person to come by to get me out of my situation. That’s happened, that will happen in many
instances. But I think His meaning here
is deeper than that.
I
believe the “way of escape”, the “escape hatch” if you will, was provided for
us many years ago. I think it has been
here our whole lives. I think it is so
close that perhaps we can’t see it. I believe the “way of escape” for us is the gift
God sent on the Day of Pentecost. I believe the “way of escape” is the Holy
Spirit of God.
When
I am tempted, when I am in trouble, when my world is crashing in around me, I
need not look for an angel in a fiery chariot to come riding by to save me. But
instead look to the Comforter who is in my heart.
In
John 14 Jesus told His disciples that The Father will, “give you another Comforter….He will abide with you forever…..He
will dwell with you and shall be in you”.
If
your heart has been forgiven of sins and your life has been totally committed
to God and He has given you His Holy Spirit, then you have had that “built-in
escape hatch” installed into your being.
He is “in you” and is ready to assist you at a moment's notice.
You
understand that an escape hatch is useless if not used don’t you? If you don’t know how to use it, it cannot
benefit you in times of emergency. Emergency service folk practice using emergency equipment and practice getting out of tight spots. Does it not make
sense to you dear reader that we should practice the presence of the Holy
Spirit? We should recognize that He is
right there with us, in the car, driving down the road, at our job site, in
every conversation and at the supper table.
We should recognize that there is no where we can go that He is not with
us. Then when the emergency comes, when
we are faced with trials and temptations, our “way of escape” is oiled and
ready to function to get us out of our troubles.
Check
out your escape hatch today. Ask God to
make His Holy Spirit real in your life.
I
almost stopped there. I almost left
without giving you the following scripture. It’s one of my favorite. There may be some of you who don’t understand
how God goes about giving His Holy Spirit to us. You may have thought that there is some sort
of mystic, far out, process that you must go through. You may think that you have to “do” something
special, “be” in a certain place. Let me
share a gift with you, for that is exactly what our loving Father calls
it. Look at this scripture, look at
these words. As I read them from the
Word just now it blesses my heart again.
“If ye then, being
evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him” Luke 11:13
As
I write this, Christmas 2012 is only a few weeks away. Keva has asked our kids and grandkids what
they want for Christmas. Do you think
that what they ask for we won’t bust our butts to get for them? Do you think
that we are more gracious than our loving God?
Do
you need that “heavenly hatch”? Don’t
wait another day. Don’t go into another
battle without it. Go to your Father and
ask. He will be more than happy to install it in your heart.
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