they way of escape

Had not the Lord been on our side ... Our help is in the Name of the Lord who made heaven and earth, Psalm 124:1,8  

Ever feel trapped and do not know what to do?  Ever feel like the Apostle Paul when he says, “Wretched man, who will deliver me free from this body of death”, Romans 7:25.  

The Psalmist is writing about escaping from enemies and He finds help and deliverance in the Lord.  Our number one enemy is not another person but sin.  God told Cain, “sin is crouching at the door.  Its desire is for you but you must master it”, Genesis 4:7.  Temptation is 360⁰.  It is everywhere and it is relentless in its sweet sounding enticements — “with much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him.  All at once he follows her as an ox goes to slaughter..., Proverbs 7:21-22.  Where is help found?

God says in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that “no temptation has overtaken you but such is common to man.”  You are not the only one facing your temptation. Others have and many have learned how to master it and you can too!  I remember reading a story many years ago of a family driving through the Colorado Rock Mountains on a windy narrowing gorge.  The road narrows so much with a tunnel ahead that drivers begin to wonder if they are going to be able to make it.  Then on the side of the road there is a sign stating, “Yes you can, 1000 others have.”  So, the father continues on and drives through the narrow tunnel and finds another sign on the other side of the tunnel, “Now, 1001!   The point is that you don’t have to succumb to the temptations surrounding you but you can live a life that is pleasing to God when you learn to rely on the resources available to you.

Secondly, “God is faithful.”  You can rely on Him and in fact this is the powerful secret of overcoming temptation.  This is what the Psalmist learned to do.  He turned His heart upward not inward. He does not have the power within himself to withstand the stampede but God is able and faithful to enable you to stand firm your holy ground, Read, mediate and pray through these verses.  Hosea 7:14-16, Colossians 3:1-4, 5-11, 12-17, Ephesians 6:10-18.    

And thirdly, “He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able but with the temptation will provide a way of escape that you may be able to endure it.”  You and I are not able to handle temptation on our own for we would be quickly swept away.  But you and I are able to go to God and find the way of escape so that we can endure the temptation.  Notice our escape here is not necessarily in the removal of the temptation but the strength to endure the temptation.  

Where is God’s way of escape then found?  If is found in following Jesus.  The Israelites were journeying through the wilderness grumbling and complaining about their needs.  God provided for their needs through the “Rock” that followed them and the Rock was Christ, 1 Corinthians 10:4.  God has provided to Jesus, our “rock” to meet our needs as well.  He does this through His Word, through the Holy Sprit who now dwells within us and through the His Body, the church community.  

So, make sure you turn your heart upward, follow Jesus, trust the Word of God, walk in step with the Spirit and experience life together in God’s covenant community for support and encouragement.