Web of Temptation

God has a very unique way of showing me week after week what He wants me to learn while studying for our Sunday School lesson (I mean....Life Group).

While reading the book of Nehemiah, Chapter 9, one of the first phrases that jumped out at me, (mostly because I had underlined them prior to this day) was in verse 2. ...they stood and confessed their sins... Sounds like a simple statement, nothing too convicting. After all, Nehemiah isn't talking about me, he is talking about the Children of Israel. So why do I keep going back to it, and why does my heart start racing every time I read it???? I think God wants me to dig further about this confessing of sins. Maybe later.

Then one of my children ( I can't name him because he gets embarrassed when I post about him, but I will give you a hint...he is 10) was doing something yesterday that he knew he should not do. My mommy radar went off and instead of immediately scolding him, I asked him what was going on. He, of course, replied "nothing". I said, "(insert name of child here), be careful you don't do something you shouldn't do". He assured me he was not. A few minutes later I looked around and again, he was trying to sneak and do this "thing" again. Now before you let your imagination run wild...he wasn't trying to do anything too awful, I just can't tell you because of the whole "embarrassing him" thing. So just go with me here.

After asking further questions, I realized he indeed was about to do something he knows not to do. Now with my first children, who are 7-14 years older than this one, I would have went into a fit! I am not sure why I didn't with him. Probably too old and tired. Anyway...I talked with him and told him if he went through with what he was about to do, he would want to do it again tomorrow and then even more the next day.

I was very surprised at his response, he said "Oh no, I was about to get into the web of temptation". I asked him to tell me more about the web of temptation. He said " We learned in JAM (children's church) that satan tries to get us into his web of sin, and when we get there, it is sticky and hard to get out. Just like when bugs can't get out of a spider's web. I was about to get into the web of temptation".

WOW! My heart ...my heart felt... well I can't explain it. I was proud of him and all I could think about is how many times I get into the web of temptation. I hugged him and told him to pray and ask God to help him stay out of the web, he said he would and told me he was sorry. It seemed wrong that he would apologize for teaching me such an incredible lesson! As proud as I was of him, he still was not honest and his actions warranted punishment, so we had to take care of some business I like to call "grounding".

I am asking God this morning to show me the webs of temptation I am caught in. What sin have I not confessed? How can I stay out of this web? I think God is trying to teach me something. I think I will go ahead a dig further today.

I am also thanking God for Mrs Debbie and the other adults who teach in JAM. The word she shared did not return void. My little boy is at school right now, trying hard to not get caught in the web of temptation. Are you?