Week of 9/9-9/15: Broken Response - In God We Trust?

Day Three: Gen. 3:6 Then the woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

THE CORE ISSUE IN GENESIS 3 is the same core issue at stake in any temptation. It’s not exit’s not food. It’s not anger. It’s not greed.

It’s trust.

When you go to the doctor, there is always a moment when you list your symptoms. Those symptoms are carefully recorded, and when taken together, they lead to a diagnosis. Often, the symptoms aren’t really the problem. They are the surface-level manifestations of something deeper going on inside of you. That’s why the solution to a runny nose isn’t a Kleenex, it’s an antibiotic. A good doctor doesn’t settle with treating the symptoms. He looks deeper.

Such is the case with us. We must look deeper, past the surface-level temptations and into the area of trust. When we are tempted toward materialism, the real issue is whether we trust that God has and will provide enough. Are we content with what He provides? When we are tempted toward sex, the real issue is whether we trust God when He gives us the prescribed means of sex in marriage. Do we believe what God is telling us or what culture is selling? When we are tempted to overeat, the deeper issue is whether we trust God when He says that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. Are we willing to treat our bodies as such?

And fighting these temptations? Well, that’s an issue of trust, too. Do we really trust that God will give us the grace to stand firm, or are we relying on our own strength? It all comes down to trust. So who are you trusting today? Take a look at your actions. They’re the symptoms and they will lead you to the truth.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷When it comes to resisting sin, who are you trusting?

▷▷Think about the nagging sin present in your life right now. What is the real issue behind that sin? What are you trading or looking for when you give in to that sin?

▷▷How can Christ satisfy that need better?