As we were enjoying breakfast together one morning, Stan said, “My friend who takes pictures of things in which he sees some spiritual significance sent me another one the other day. I called him, we talked about what was on his mind, and I’d like to pass it on to you.”
“What’d he send this time?”
“Take a look,” Stan said as he handed me his phone.
I looked at the picture and saw that it was a road sign. “It says ‘Escape Route.’ Where was your friend traveling that he needed to escape from something?”
“He didn’t need to escape from anything,” Stan replied. “It’s just a picture of a cautionary sign pointing the way to escape if needed. Just like with God.”
“Just like with God?”
“That’s right,” Stan said, “and what my friend and I talked about is what the apostle Paul wrote in his first letter to the Corinthians concerning God’s escape route.”
“What’d Paul write?”
“How God always provides the way for us to escape temptation.”
“Well,” I replied, “if it’s true that God always provides the way to escape temptation, why don’t we always escape?”
“I can’t speak for anyone other than myself,” Stan said, “but the answer for me is simply that’s what I choose. I choose not to take the escape route God provides.”
“And,” he added, “before you ask why I do that, I’ll tell you. It’s the failure to do what Jesus said as the essential first step of discipleship.”
“Failure to deny yourself?”
“That’s it, my friend,” Stan replied. “Failure to deny what I want to do apart from God. That failure, in turn, answers the question of why I don’t escape temptation when God provides an escape route!”
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Bible verses to consider:
No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13.
. . . the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, . . . . 2 Peter 2:9.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your provision of Jesus and His finished work on the cross as the way for life eternally with you, the life that begins here and will continue forever. Even though I know I will spend eternity in your presence, I confess that too often while I remain on the side of eternity I give in to temptation because I choose to not take the escape route you’ve provided. Please forgive that foolish approach to living the new life you’ve provided. Help me follow every step of your lead in taking the escape route you provide for every temptation. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you chosen to escape Satan’s eternal plan for you by accepting God’s free and gracious provision of life eternally with Him, the life that begins here and will continue forever? If no, why do you choose to remain separated from God both now and forever? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with taking advantage of God’s escape route for every temptation? If there are escape routes you don’t choose, why is that? If you sense the desire for change with any of this, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you truly want? Why or why not?
The need: Since God knows what we need before we ask Him (Matthew 6:8), what does He know you need so you do take every escape route from temptation that He provides? Spend time on this in prayer, reflection, and journaling to see what He knows you need. He will show you!
Forward: Do you know others who would or could benefit from this devotional? If so, why not forward it and open them to be part of the conversation between Stan and S. Tory Teller?