I had heard the other day, that I ought to consider the temptations that I’m plagued with, as opportunities to show Jesus how much I love him.

However, I had mixed reaction to that. On one hand, I was crushed and very ashamed.

I suddenly realized that every one of the temptations that I had faced came down to love.

Did I love Jesus more, or did I love what I was being tempted with more?

It wasn’t simply a choice between right and wrong. It wasn’t simply a choice between keeping or breaking a commandment.

It was far more. It was personal. I was choosing whom to have fellowship with, Jesus or sin.

Oh, the countless times that I chose sin over Jesus!

It was like each time, that I must have said to him, “You’re good, Jesus, but I think I love sin more than you”.

When I was young, and before I was saved, how did I feel when the girl I was with, flirted with, and danced with, another guy?

And that is a worldly, fleshly example. How does Jesus feel when I flirt with, or dance with, sin?

Sin doesn’t love me. Sin doesn’t care about me. Sin doesn’t comfort me when I’m hurting.

Sin doesn’t lift my spirit when I’m sad. Sin doesn’t fellowship with me when I’m lonely.

Sin doesn’t provide for my needs. Sin hasn’t prepared a wonderful place for me to be forever.

Sin didn’t suffer for me. Sin didn’t take my punishment.

Sin is not good, and altogether lovely. Sin is not gracious and merciful. Sin is not meek and lowly in heart.

Sin is not the lily of the valley. Sin is not the bright and morning star. Sin is not the chiefest among ten thousand.

Sin is not beloved of his Father. Sin did not go about doing good. Sin did not heal lepers and open blind eyes.

Sin did not shed his blood to cleanse me. Sin did not rise from the dead.

Sin does not give me hope. Sin does not give me peace. Sin does not love me!

So why do I love sin more than Jesus?

Jesus is all those wonderful things, so why do I love sin more than Jesus?

 

However, on the other hand, I realized that he is giving me these opportunities to show how much I love him.

If I meditate on how wonderful he is – and if I meditate on how much he loves me –

and if when I’m tempted, I cry out to him who loves me, “Jesus, I love you, please help me with this temptation!”

Then, how much better it will be.

How wonderful of a thought that he does give me so many opportunities to choose him.

Then, it is no longer me trying to keep the commandments, by constraint, or through fear.

It is no longer me trying to earn his favor by my keeping the law.

It is no longer me going the way of Cain, feeding my religious pride by what I do.

It is no longer me, the self-righteous Pharisee, showing what I can do.

It is me, like Peter, sinking in the water, calling out to him who truly loves me.

He is the only one who has the power over sin. He is the one who has and gives the victory.

And I can only love him because he first loved me.

And I can only love him because the goodness of God leadeth me to repentance.

And I can only love him by the love that he has shed abroad in my heart, by his Holy Ghost which he as given to me.

All I can do when I’m tempted is to say, “Jesus, I love you, help me!”

And why should I not humble myself, love him, and let him do what he does so well?

After all, is he not the Savior? So, why should I not look to him to always be my rescue?

He is the one that will always make for me a way of escape.

Suddenly, I’m not in such despair over all my temptations.

Didn’t he promise me that he would never leave me nor forsake me?

I think that this is a far better way for me look at and face my temptations.

Thank you, Jesus!

 

                          Gino