TEMPTATIONS in 2013

In Genesis 20:6, God is speaking in a dream to the king of Gerar, Abimelech, who had taken Abraham's wife, Sarah, into his harem.  Abimelech knew Sarah was Abraham’s sister, but Abraham and Sarah had neglected to say, out of fear and for the second recorded time (Genesis 12:10-20), that Sarah was also Abraham’s wife.  Surprisingly, Abimelech had not come near Sarah, even though she was part of his harem.  God explains why to Abimelech:  “…it was I Who kept you back and spared you from sinning against Me…” 

I have often looked at Genesis 20:6 rejoicing in how God preserved Sarah’s womb for a miracle – the birth of Isaac to 100 year old Abraham.  I previously missed another obvious fact:  this wasn’t only about Isaac; it was also about God sparing Abimelech from falling into temptation and sinning against God.

Six chapters later, in Genesis 26:6-11, amazingly, the process is repeated with Abimelech and his men, only this time it is with Abraham’s son Isaac and Isaac’s wife Rebekah.  “And the men of the place asked him (Isaac) about his wife, and he said, She is my sister; for he was afraid to say, She is my wife – thinking, Lest the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah, because she is attractive and is beautiful to look upon.”  This time, God has Abimelech look out the window at just the right time to see evidence that Rebekah is Isaac’s wife.

James 1:13 says that God tempts no man.  But the evidence seems to suggest that God goes one step further.  He supernaturally protects/removes his children, in His omniscience (all knowing) and His love, from temptation situations that He knows we are not strong enough to bear without falling into sin against Him. 

 I Corinthians 10:13 says, “But God is faithful not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure.”   (This would include not only temptations of the flesh, like Abimelech, but also temptations of the heart, such as anger, pride, fear, worry, unforgiveness, despair, faithlessness, loss of trust.) 

It goes on to say, “But with the temptation, He will also provide the way out (the means of escape) that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.”

In this new year of 2013, we can be confident God will not bring upon us a trial carrying with it a temptation beyond our ability to stand up under.  We can know with assurance neither Satan,  situations, or our flesh will tempt us this new year with anything that we do not have the power to say “no” to.  His love and omniscience and power go before us and clear the way for our own faithfulness, obedience, and faith – another example of God’s intimate involvement in our specific minute-by-minute life.  Thank you, Lord, for all the things that you will keep from our pathway this year because You know that we would not be strong enough to bear up under it.  Thank you for the power from You to be overcomers in everything that will come into our life this year.  Your love is awesome!