Genesis 39:10 - "And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her. . ."
I have read the "Joseph" story many times and have looked at this passage before. However, today when I read it I saw not only application possibilities but also felt conviction! I have a love hate relationship with "conviction." I hate to see the sin so clearly revealed in my heart, but I LOVE that my God loves me enough to show it to me so that I might be conformed to the likeness of my Savior!
You see -- I struggle with the fruit of the spirit called, "self-control." Not that I have all the others down -- this one just seems to be a root of many of the sin issues in my life!
When I read that Potiphar's wife spoke to Joseph "day after day," basically seducing him, it hit me that temptation is DAILY! Okay, not profound - I already know this. But he continually said, "no" to the temptation - day after day! That is what gets me -- the day after day!
When I plan to get to bed earlier to be my best in the morning for my family and my time with God, I often choose to do other things and stay up too late. The temptation of a good book, a movie, the computer (none of them bad things in and of themselves) comes along, and I stay up too late, causing me to not be the wife and mom that I believe God wants me to be.
OR
I determine that I need to eat more healthy -- for my heart, for my body, for God's glory! Then the daily temptation of a diet coke fountain drink ("They are half price during Sonic's happy hour!") comes my way. The cookies, candy, you name it say, "eat me!" And I do!
Now, I am not saying that I can never have a diet coke or dessert. I am just pointing out how quickly I cave to temptation. I do not do well saying, "no" as Joseph did day after day. One day - sure! A week - doable. But the consistency that is implied by day after day isn't found in my life. Gross!
I have a friend who told me about an older woman who mentored her. When my friend would tell her she was "struggling" with something, the lady would reply, "Let's just call it sin." Wow! To have a person love me enough to "call it sin." Not worrying if it hurt my feelings or offended me. (My husband will do this but can't really think of anyone else.)
Usually, I am wrestling with a self-control issue (let's call it sin!) and my friends say things like, "That is normal,""Don't be so hard on yourself," or "Nobody's perfect."
That is NOT what I need to hear. I need the truth of God's word challenging me "as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct" (1 Peter 1:15), or "do not be conformed to this world" (Romans 12:2) -- isn't that saying that as a child of God I am not to be "normal"? Jesus Himself states, "You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Mt. 5:48).
I am thankful for the truth in Romans 8:1 that "there is not condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." So although I am not condemned, and I am able to stand clothed in the righteousness of Christ (2 Cor 5:21), I do need to strive to live a life of self-control in all areas of my life.
Day After Day!!!!! That is the mark of self-control.
I need to purpose "day after day" to evaluate (by the power of the Holy Spirit) all that bombards me so that I may be able to discern the time stealers, money stealers, health stealers, or other temptations that will pull me away from my relationship with God and with those He has placed in my life.
10 December, 2008
28 October, 2008
Parenting is one of those things that causes you to see how fallen you really are! It challenges your core beliefs and reveals your inconsistencies. Calling you to wisdom, parenting displays your ignorance and may we even say foolishness.
Where does all this come from, you may ask?
Recently my children had picture day. My son brought his proofs home complaining that he looked too pale and wanted to get a retake. I thought he looked great - he is fair like his mom, but he didn't look too pale. My daughter got braces in March. She got them off last week. (I know that is sooo short - disgusting). She realized that the retakes would happen AFTER the braces came off, so she wanted a retake as well.
I chose to let them have a retake. At the time I thought, "they are being goofy," but let them do the retake thing.
Talking with my husband about this whole thing I came to the conclusion that I made a mistake. I should have let the original pictures stand. I should have taken the opportunity to let my children know that they are fearfully and wonderfully made. I should have used their discontent to speak the greatness of our God. I should have let them know that it isn't appearances that matter but what is in the heart. Instead, without realizing it, I fueled the belief that what is on the outside counts and that we should take every opportunity to make our outsides look better.
We live in a culture that tells us that we are not good enough, cute enough, smart enought, witty enough, fit enough, you name it -- we don't quite make the cut. So we have surgery to "fix" us. We spend hours in the gym to look a certain way. Our young children spend 10 hours a week practicing a sport in hopes that they will be good enough to play for their High School in 7 years.
Do we really want our children to think that if they aren't the best athlete that they aren't "good enough?"
Do we want them to think that if they don't make straight A's that they aren't "good enough?"
Do we want them to think that if they aren't the best looking child in their class then they aren't "good enough?"
GROSS!!!!!
How many adults are still fighting these lies? We probably all are in some way or another. Obviously, I am fighting the lie that there is some "perfect parent" list. :-)
So -- I give myself grace and purpose to move forward speaking truth into the lives and hearts of my precious children. I want them to know the truth of God and His word and be able to recognize the lies that the world is hurling at them.
Where does all this come from, you may ask?
Recently my children had picture day. My son brought his proofs home complaining that he looked too pale and wanted to get a retake. I thought he looked great - he is fair like his mom, but he didn't look too pale. My daughter got braces in March. She got them off last week. (I know that is sooo short - disgusting). She realized that the retakes would happen AFTER the braces came off, so she wanted a retake as well.
I chose to let them have a retake. At the time I thought, "they are being goofy," but let them do the retake thing.
Talking with my husband about this whole thing I came to the conclusion that I made a mistake. I should have let the original pictures stand. I should have taken the opportunity to let my children know that they are fearfully and wonderfully made. I should have used their discontent to speak the greatness of our God. I should have let them know that it isn't appearances that matter but what is in the heart. Instead, without realizing it, I fueled the belief that what is on the outside counts and that we should take every opportunity to make our outsides look better.
We live in a culture that tells us that we are not good enough, cute enough, smart enought, witty enough, fit enough, you name it -- we don't quite make the cut. So we have surgery to "fix" us. We spend hours in the gym to look a certain way. Our young children spend 10 hours a week practicing a sport in hopes that they will be good enough to play for their High School in 7 years.
Do we really want our children to think that if they aren't the best athlete that they aren't "good enough?"
Do we want them to think that if they don't make straight A's that they aren't "good enough?"
Do we want them to think that if they aren't the best looking child in their class then they aren't "good enough?"
GROSS!!!!!
How many adults are still fighting these lies? We probably all are in some way or another. Obviously, I am fighting the lie that there is some "perfect parent" list. :-)
So -- I give myself grace and purpose to move forward speaking truth into the lives and hearts of my precious children. I want them to know the truth of God and His word and be able to recognize the lies that the world is hurling at them.
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