Daily Devotional for July 17, 2018
Swimming in Disobedience
It sure is hot, Lucas thought. I wish Grandpa would let me go swimming. Lucas was spending the summer with his grandfather in Florida, and Grandpa had told him there could be alligators nearby. So while his grandpa napped after lunch each day, Lucas sat in the backyard looking longingly at the lake. He watched for alligators but never saw any.
One afternoon it just got too hot to bear, and Lucas decided to wade in a little. He kept a sharp eye out for alligators but didn’t see any. The next afternoon, Lucas waded in the water again. When he still saw no sign of alligators, he decided to swim a little. As long as I’m out of the water and dried off before Grandpa wakes up, he’ll never know, Lucas thought.
As Lucas took his usual dip in the lake a few days later, he was having a lot of fun when he saw two eyes coming toward him. He gasped. An alligator! He swam for shore with all his might, but the alligator kept getting closer and closer. “Help! Help!” Lucas screamed.
A neighbor who was out in his boat saw what was happening and sped over. When the boat came near, the alligator turned away. As Lucas climbed into the boat, he was breathless and shaking from his close call.
When the neighbor brought him to shore, Lucas was surprised to find his grandfather anxiously waiting for him. “I’m sorry, Grandpa,” Lucas said, tears rushing to his eyes. “I didn’t see any sign of alligators all week, and the lake looked so quiet and peaceful. I thought it would be okay to swim a little.”
Grandpa shook his head when he heard the whole story. “That was a very foolish thing to do. You ignored the danger and gave in to something you knew was wrong, didn’t you?” With eyes downcast, Lucas nodded. “We’re often tempted to sin when wrong things look so enjoyable and inviting that they actually seem right,” said Grandpa. “Whenever you’re tempted to do something you know you shouldn’t, think about that alligator. Remember that sin is harmful, no matter how good it looks. That’s why Jesus died for us—to save us from sin. And that’s why we have to trust Him to forgive us when we do wrong and to help us do what’s right.” – Cindy Huff
How about you?
Do you think that if something feels right, it can’t be wrong? That’s not what the Bible says. God has definite standards of right and wrong, and anything that goes against what He says is sin. Sin may look harmless and fun, but it will always end up hurting you and others. When you give in to sin, confess it to Jesus. He will forgive you and help you learn to do what’s right.
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