"The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, 'Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?' "

Genesis 3:1

Temptation rarely comes in obvious, in-your-face ways. We're rarely tempted to do that which we know to be horribly wrong. Rather, temptation sneaks up on us and tries to catch us unaware. It asks, "Does God really care if you bend the rules a bit? Does it really matter if you tell a little lie or 'forget' to include some income on your tax forms or copy a friend's software?" Temptation engages our endless capacity to rationalize, and off we go into sin.

How is temptation sneaking up on you these days? Are you rationalizing behavior that you know to be wrong?

PRAYER: How easy it is for me to question your revealed will, Lord. Even without a literal serpent there to tempt me, I wonder, "Will God really care if I do this?" I can easily rationalize that which I know to be sin, presuming upon your grace and mercy. Forgive me, Lord. And give me new clarity of mind when it comes to sin. Help me to see through shrewd temptations, so that I might honor you in all that I do. Amen.