PENnED

While enjoying my freshly brewed poured-over coffee this morning, I read Bible Gateway’s Verse of the Day. It is 1 Corinthians 10:13, a Scripture verse that every Christian probably thinks she or he knows very well. And that includes me.

The verse is so familiar because it is often quoted. To put that in Filipino or Tagalog, ‘Gasgas na!’ And so it is a verse that I suppose many would like to think they have already nailed down. Again, the many  includes me.

But as I read the verse for the millionth time (I’m exaggerating of course), the very last phrase has caught my exegete eye in a way that it has not before: “…he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

When “a way out” is provided, it seems natural to think that the hardship and struggle in dealing with the temptation is removed so that the one who is tempted can now easily and quickly get out of the tempted state, like ‘No sweat!’ But it doesn’t appear to be that way.

The “way out” God provides, whatever that might be,” does not lead to a situation in which the one being tempted is passively led out from a spiritually perilous situation, like being swooped up and out by Wonder Woman and immediately taken to a safe place. But a way out is provided so that “you can endure it (the temptation).”

From the looks of it, when a way out is provided, the spiritual battle and struggle against temptation has just actually begun! But thank God, because of a way out that has been provided, “you (and I) can endure it” (emphasis mine)!

The struggle may be long—and longer if the temptation is something that we’ve been badly craving to do—but, thanks be to God who provides us a  way out—we can endure it!

The question, however, is, Am I willing to use the way out that God provides? Are you?