"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak" (Matthew 26:41 NIV).
We're traveling to Virginia to be with family for Thanksgiving. I'm loading up my Ford Expedition with eight adults (otherwise known as the "Combs Clan"). It'll be fun, but it'll be exhausting too. I guess there is always the temptation to overdo it. You know, too much traveling, too much rushing, and too much turkey!
God has given us desires, but because of sin, like everything else our desires have been affected. The desire for food (hunger) is good. We need it to be healthy. But eating too much food or the wrong kind of food leads to being unhealthy. I suppose that applies to all of our desires. They have an original, God-given intent, but they have been warped by sin. So, we want more than we need. Or we want something other than what we need. And on top of that, we want it all NOW! We want immediate gratification.
Temptation is compounded by a three-fold solicitation by our own fallen desires (the flesh), the American consumer culture (the world), and the addictive spiritual whisperings (the devil) that we hear. We want to do right, but we are weak.
I'm praying for help during the holidays that the Lord will give me self control and allow me to fully enjoy His bounty...
... Without falling into "turkey temptations."
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