“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

1 Corinthians‬ 10:13‬ (NIV)

It had been years since I dropped in for a visit, and feeling a bit giddy, ignored that inner voice telling me I shouldn’t. I just wanted to catch a glimpse of the past. It was my birthday, and we were driving past it anyway so what could it hurt to take a little peek. Maybe there was a spa! Maybe there was shopping! Maybe we could grab a bite to eat!

And so we did! We parked and went inside. But it was much harder than I thought it would be. The lights. The sounds. The attraction of the fun I had missed for the past six and a half years.

And then that critical moment of decision; to stand firm or be swayed by my emotions. And sadly, my emotion took hold of that moment. I had found the perfect slot machine. Breaking down the fortress that had guarded my heart for so long, I slid some money in and sat down to play. As good as it felt to let down my guard, it also felt dangerously wrong, especially when the very first spin hit a nice jackpot.

But as quietly as the devil whispered welcome home my friend, the Spirit whispered remember me? For it was the Spirit who broke me free from the devil’s grip and brought healing from the pain I hid behind each time I sat behind those enamoring yet deceitful machines.

Delighted as I was by my win, I was even more delighted when Scripture began to flow through my mind. “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (1 Corinthians‬ 10:13)‬‬

I had always strived to memorize Scripture but felt like I had greatly failed. The words and the references did not flow as smoothly through my mind as my self-critical expectations would aspire. But God had secretly inscribed His weapons on the tablet of my heart and began to fight for me as I recalled the truth of His promises and the Hope of His purposes. He reminded me through His Words that I now belonged to Him. It was my choice whether to go back to Egypt or trudge forth in the Freedom of His beautiful promise. But God seemed to make it easy as He took His Sword and cut deep inside my heart, melting the temptations into blissful restraint.

The time I had spent with the Lord, digging into His treasures, had not been wasted after all. As His words came hurling into my mind, it brought great joy and comfort as I acknowledged His whispers of Truth.

There is no luck to encounter in God’s Word. It is a confident win that will not return void (Isaiah 55:10-11). It may sit stagnant in the vault of your heart for a while, but God will pull it out, put it to use, and whisper it when you need it the most. It is there to rescue us, to testify for us, to encourage us, to comfort us, to empower us, to heal us, and to discipline us. And when we fail, He will use it to redeem us.

Friends, whatever temptation you are struggling with today, seek God’s Word. It may be new to you, or it may already be written on your heart, but He has provided a way for you to endure the temptation if you will seek Him, trust Him, and let Him fight your battle.

12 Words

When temptation whispers in your ear, let Truth whisper in your heart.

Lord God, I thank you for your Word that counsels, protects, teaches, and encourages me. Help me to hide Your Word in my heart so I can hear your voice of Truth when I am being tempted. Thank you, God, for loving me and making a way for me to find victory in my struggles. I rejoice in your name and give thanks for your faithfulness! Amen.

Scripture Reflection:
Psalm 119:9-16
Isaiah 55:8-13
Ephesians 6:10-17

“For it is God who works in you, giving you the desire and power to act according to his will and good purposes.”

Philippians 2:13 (NIV)

Growing up a city girl, terms like Rattlesnake roundup, Catfish noodling, and Pecan Tree grafting was not in my vocabulary. It was not until I married into a family with a country farm in Texas that I began to learn these things. 

The rattlesnakes spike my adrenaline. The catfish piques my interest. But I find tree grafting to be mysterious. It is astonishing to me how you can take a root of one tree and a tender shoot from another and join them together to transform it into something different, new, and better. 

Grafting can be used for a number of reasons to mold the tree into a new normal; to repair injured trees, to produce a different variety of fruit and flavor, to strengthen the trees resistance, to create a tree that is in the same form but of smaller size, or to establish and encourage reproduction. 

As I have not experimented with the grafting of Pecan Trees personally, I do see the mature results of many grafts over the years.  I cannot help but wonder what if they had not been so tenderly cared for? 

Would they be as strong and resilient to the elements and the droughts? Would their shells be fragile, and their meat be stale? Would they even bear any fruit at all?

These are similar questions we should ask ourselves, knowing we are created in God’s image. When I was growing up in church, I never gave much thought to the term sanctification. In fact, I never really paid any attention to it at all. But once I realized that there was more to being a Christian than just going to church and knowing a few Bible verses, God began to teach me what sanctification meant. And now I realize it is much like being grafted, just as the Pecan Trees are.

We are all tender shoots that the Father, our Root, desires to graft. Sanctification is the continual work of the Holy Spirit in a believer that transforms us into His likeness. And just as I am mystified by the grafting of trees, I am also mystified at how He chooses such imperfect vessels as us, to be His Holy Temple. He entrusts us with His work – in us and through us, and cares tenderly for us as He transforms us into Who He created us to be! “For it is God who works in you, giving you the desire and power to act according to his will and good purposes” (Philippians 2:13).

When we invite Him into our hearts and allow Him to be rooted there, we too should find a new normal as He does what only God can do; healing our internal hurts, strengthening our endurance to resist temptations, altering our lifestyles for the better, softening our words and actions, refining our perspectives, ripening our fruit through enhanced attitudes, beliefs, and desires, and by empowering us to aid in the growth of others. 

This past year we have all had to find a new normal in our daily lives. And because we are all made perfect through Christ and clothed with God’s goodness, I pray that your new normal is found through the revelation of God’s mighty plans to restore you, redeem you and empower you with his inner strength. I pray that you will invite him in to make his home in your hearts as you trust in Him, and that your roots grow deep into His love, keeping you strong. And I pray that you receive divine understanding of how wide, how long, how high, and how deep God’s love is for you, (Ephesians 3:14-19), and that you will be empowered to be a vessel, in which He will use to display his extraordinary love and glory to those who do not know. 

12 Words 

God can change us all! Let Him begin creating your new normal. 

Dear God, I want to be rooted in your love and be willing to be shaped by you. I invite you to graft me into a different and new creation that bears your name and reflects your image. May this transformation become my new normal as my love and desire for you grows stronger. Amen. 

Scripture Reflection:
Ephesians 3:14-20
Philippians 2:13
2 Corinthians 5:17

Hello! And welcome to my first blog post! It was six years ago that God took the excitement of what He was teaching me and turned it into words of a devotion. I will not ever forget the joy of that day when I shared my first few words.  I am thankful and excited to have a new place to celebrate and share the good news of God’s grace. I hope that you will be encouraged by His words of freedom and hope.

I plan to post at least once a month! Please remember to subscribe to receive notifications of new posts, so you will never miss a story of Life Intercepted by Grace.

“I will tell of your goodness; all day long I will speak of your salvation, though it is more than I can understand. I will go in the strength of the LORD God; I will proclaim your goodness, yours alone. You have taught me ever since I was young, and I still tell of your wonderful acts.”

 Psalms‬ 71:15-17‬ (GNB‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬)