Temptation
For the past five days, I have been
“hanging out” with my 16-year-old grandson, while his parents vacation to
celebrate my son’s 50th birthday (Gulp! I’m old enough to have a
50-year-old child!).
Being widowed, I can carefully
choose foods to purchase and bring into my home.
That’s not the case in this home, so
for the past five days, I have faced the temptations of chips, M&M cookies
and ice cream. The latter being the
worst temptation.
In one of the reflections I read
this week, a featured Scripture verse was Matthew 14:29-30 during which Peter
tried to walk on water. But when Peter
looked at the waves around him, he became frightened and cried out, “Save me,
Lord”!
As I think about these verses and
meditate upon them, I realize they contain a guideline for living. How easy it is when the waves splash high and
become more and more severe (i.e., problems, worries, concerns, sorrows), life
can become seemingly impossible. How
easy it is to be tempted and reach for the closest, most convenient comfort
food, whether it be ice cream or grapes to stuff down the uncomfortable
feeling. But nothing can comfort me
except the “Balm of Gilead,” (Jeremiah 8:22, NIV) and I must cry out, “Lord,
save me”!
Sharon
Witty
