Friday of Ember Week in Lent
Posted on March 3, 2023 by under
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:12-15 (NKJV)
10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say.
Devotion
“I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say.”
Many people believe that the hard passages of Scripture are those pertaining to prophecy or the intricate details of the lives of the authors in the New Testament. Those are oftentimes difficult passages to interpret, but I suggest that those are not the hard passages of Scripture.
What is hard are the passages that tell us things that our Old Adam doesn’t like to hear. The Old Adam doesn’t like to hear that he contributes nothing to salvation, or that he should flee idolatry. Our Old Adam doesn’t like the idea of enduring temptation and resisting the devil.
But the Apostle Paul in this passage also gives us consolation. Because you are in Christ Jesus by grace alone and through faith alone, you can withstand the temptation with the aid and assistance of God the Holy Ghost. This is why the Apostle can call his readers wise, because they have been given wisdom in Christ. Therefore, we can receive the hard passages of Scripture, knowing that the Lord will see us through to grow in sanctification and to have peace in our Savior.
Prayer: Lord, be gracious to Thy people, and as Thou makest them devoted to Thee, in Thy mercy comfort them with Thy kind assistance, through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for Invocavit
Lord, mercifully hear our prayer, and stretch forth the right hand of Thy Majesty to defend us from them that rise up against us; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Season of Lent
Almighty and Everlasting God, Who hatest nothing that Thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of Thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
