Enticement
by Gemma Gardner
I went away for a few days to visit friends where I used to live, and had a lovely time. However, there was one distressing incident: I lost my purse. It had money in it but fortunately, nothing else. I didn’t know how or when it had happened, and despite re-visiting the places I had been to, it was not found.
When I returned home, I decided I would buy a waistcoat with internal pockets so that I could keep my money and cards more safely. Dean and I looked online on a website I hadn’t used before, and we found a suitable waistcoat with two large internal pockets and two zipped pockets on the outside. The waistcoat arrived quite quickly and I was pleased with it. Then I started receiving emails from the company I had bought from offering me credit and discounts. I therefore looked again and saw another similar waistcoat in navy. It was very reasonably priced, so I decided to order it. But when we got to the checkout, we were told I needed to spend a minimum amount to qualify for the discount. This meant buying something else. So, I also ordered a yellow waistcoat.
I felt guilty. Not that buying waistcoats is wrong, but I had been enticed by the offers and had spent more than intended. I learned a painful lesson. I took action and blocked the notifications and emails from the company offering discounts. It’s so easy to get drawn into spending money on things that are being advertised as bargains. In Matthew 5:29-30 Jesus said that if our right eye caused us to sin, we should tear it out and throw it away. He meant that we should keep away from things that tempt us, not tear out our right eye literally. We need to know our weaknesses. The enemy knows them, and he will try to exploit them to his own ends.
In Genesis 3 we read of the tragic fall of Adam and Eve when Satan convinced Eve she could be like God, knowing good and evil. “The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it.” (Genesis 3:6 NLT). It was the lust of the eyes that caused her to sin. Jesus said several times, “Watch and pray”. I need to do that. Is there something you need to guard against in your life?
Gemma Gardner lives in Norfolk with her husband, Dean, who until recently worked at Ellel Grange. They are both part of the Associate Ministry team which Gemma joined after completing the Modular school. Gemma has experienced the Lord`s healing and restoration over many years and longs to see Him healing other broken people. Gemma loves listening to music, cooking, knitting and crochet as well as outdoor exercise. She enjoys playing guitar and singing worship songs.
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