If you consider that obedience is the test of faith, expect to be tempted. Frequently. By your favourite desires, your most precious vices. That which you do not want to give up.

The sin will be engineered to be as tasty and bad for you as carefully as food scientists made Dunkin’ Donuts [1].

And we have no excuse, for Christ withstood that very sin. Including the temptation to divert himself into romance: he knew his mission was incompatible with marriage and children. Yet he had empathy for women — from the wives of politicians and nobles to those so shunned they had to draw water while everyone else was sleeping in the heat of the day. [2]

Or overeating. Or the sweet poison of power and authority.

Instead he chose to suffer, and become perfect.

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying,

“I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”

And again,

“I will put my trust in him.”

And again,

“Behold, I and the children God has given me.”

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

(Hebrews 2:10-18 ESV)

Christ is able to help us when we are tempted: we should pray daily that today we will not be led there, but there is opposition and it is active. We will get challenged: if nothing else but our own desire.

Which brings me back to training. I’m thinking of yesterday. And this. In the middle of the day, we walked down this to a point for photos. And then up. Yes, it was not fun. Yes, we sweated (and we walked for over an hour in the evening, as well). We did this to keep fit, so when we get back to Dunedin we can handle the hills there. Which are steeper.

We know that sitting on our bottoms and doing nothing is bad for us. We also know, in this life, that preparation and planning prevents poor performance — particularly in high stakes situations.

And the state of you soul is as high a stake as it can be. Therefore, it is not good to rest on your laurels and consider that you are perfect: you are not. Bodily exercise is good, but practising reflecting on the word and prayer is better.

Finally, the lectionary posts in the blog are my discipline. They are not necessarily error free, nor right. But if I do not stretch my head around the scripture daily, when it comes to being put under pressure I will fail more frequently. I fail enough already: I want to succeed more, and become more like Christ.

________
1. Or Krispy Kreme. Or MacDonalds. Or KFC. Fast food places have engineered great taste into industrial stodge: normally the stuff tastes bland (Consider camp food, or hospital food, or food at boarding schools or hostels). But that does not mean stodgey, starchy foods are good for us.

2. Being married is Godly and the correct place to have children and raise them. There is no sin in this: but Christ leaving a family and producing earthly heirs would not work: if you have difficulty believing this read those stupid books by Dan Brown (and his source books) again, being aware it is all rank heresy. Besides, having a mission outside of the hearth is important for the husband: for the wife the heath and family is her mission for that season of live when children are being raised.