Wednesday after Reminiscere, 3/14/01

James 1:13, 14 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God;" for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. --NASB

In the name of the One Who cannot be tempted by evil, amen.

Yesterday we saw that God tests our faith; today we see that God does not tempt anyone to sin. When we are tempted to sin, it is because of our own sinfulness. Even when the devil or the world tempts us, it is through our own evil desires. This was true of Adam and Eve. The devil got them to want to be like God by suggesting that God was keeping something good from them. Once they started thinking like that, it was over for mankind.

"So what," you ask? "So what that it isn't God Who tempts us?" So we have someone Who can help us when we are tempted, that's what. To whom would we turn for help in times of temptation, if God Himself tempted us? But God does not want us to fall into sin. He is there to help us, and we should pray to Him so that we don't sin. As Jesus urged the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, "Watch and pray," so we should watch and pray so that we do not enter into temptation. The Lord answers those prayers and strengthens us. Amen.

Prayer: Dear Lord, bless us in times of temptation. Come to us and rescue us from ourselves. Kill our evil lusts in the water of Baptism, and raise us up to new life in Jesus, amen.

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