But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, that she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside. Genesis 39:11-12
Situations arise all the time that push a person to have to make a choice between doing what is right and doing what is wrong. Within a short moment people often have to make the choice as to what they will do or not do.
Joseph was in Potiphar’s house as a slave. Potiphar’s wife tried to get Joseph to sleep with him. At one point she grabs his garment and demands it. He leaves the garment behind to run out and away from her.
Opportunities to sin abound every moment of every day. Those opportunities often show up as opportunities to please self in some form or another. On the surface, many times it does not seem to be harmful to anyone in the moment and may even appear to be good.
Along with looking good, it often comes when alone or around others who support the wrong being done. Peer pressure rises to get one to go along with the sin. Rather than rejecting the sin, the world embraces it and sees it as a right and something good to do.
Followers of Jesus must be willing to flee the temptation to sin at all costs. It must be seen as sinning against God, rather than just against a person or to fulfill a personal pleasure for a moment. Sin brings about death and separation from God. Fleeing it at all costs may cost in the moment, but gains an abundant and eternal life in the end.
You will have opportunities presented to you on a regular basis to please yourself in some way with a sin. The desire to give in to that temptation and please self will be high, but the cost of that sin is death and separation from God. Make up your mind now, before the temptation arises, to flee that temptation at all costs. Leave behind everything and anything that will hold you down in sin and keep you from running towards God for strength. Live in God’s holiness and righteousness, not the temporary sinful pleasures of this world.
Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that God will open your eyes to sinful temptations around you; that God will give you strength to flee all sin; that you will run towards God; and that you will live for God in every area of your life.
Photo by Wilmy van Ulft on Unsplash
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