A Devotion from Greg Laurie

Felicia sent this to me a couple weeks ago. I thought it would be great to share with you.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Caught in Its Current

But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
— James 1:14

Some years ago, I was at the beach with my son Jonathan, and we decided to go swimming. We weren't very far from the shore. Suddenly, there was one of those drops in the sand and, for a few moments, my feet could not touch the ground.

As I held on to Jonathan, a little riptide began to pull us over to the right, just enough to move us along. We were originally lined up with a lifeguard stand, but I noticed it had moved quite a distance. Obviously it had not moved. We had moved. We were being pulled along. I could not stop myself. I kept reaching for the ground with my feet, but I could not get my footing.

Suddenly, the lifeguard came down from his stand and began running toward us with his flotation device. I didn't mind being saved, but I was only a few feet from the shore.

"I'm all right," I said, trying to wave him off.

But you know what? I wasn't all right. I couldn't stop myself. As he began swimming out, I thought, "I have got to get my feet on the ground." Finally, I planted myself.

"I'm OK," I shouted to him, and he waved and swam back in.

That is what temptation is like. You think you can handle it, but suddenly you are caught in its current.

To pray we won't be tempted and then place ourselves in a vulnerable situation is like thrusting our fingers into a fire and praying they won't be burned. We need a healthy respect of the enemy we face and of the temptation that he will utilize in our lives.