Love Tempted

I’ve been reading through Genesis, and have just come to the story of Joseph. I love this story. From beginning to end it is packed with twists and turns, complicated characters, drama, conflict, and ultimately, sweet resolution. More than anything else, I love the way this story chronicles the incredible provision of God for His people, and His knack for bringing abundant good from seemingly terrible situations. But that’s a post for another day. Today I’d like to talk a little bit about temptation and love. You might think this an unlikely pair, but stay with me…

Let’s look at Joseph:

Joseph loved the Lord. Each time I read this story I marvel at Joseph’s faith, which endures hardship after hardship. As a young man, Joseph is hated and envied by his brothers, who seize him and sell him into slavery. After working hard and honestly in the land of his captors, Joseph is wrongly accused and imprisoned. In prison, Joseph helps Pharaoh's cup-bearer, who promptly forgets about him. Several years later, Joseph is summoned to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams when the sheepish cup-bearer remembers his Hebrew prison-fellow. Joseph emerges from prison with no trace of the bitterness we might expect him to carry, but instead with staid and humble faith, and the habit of giving glory to God. In fact, Joseph’s first words as a free man are to deny himself and credit the Lord with power:

“ ‘I cannot do it,’ Joseph replied to Pharaoh, ‘but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.’” (Genesis 41:16)

As a side note, it's likely that most people would not have dreamed of contradicting Pharaoh like this to his face, even for a moment. Joseph shows that his first allegiance is to the Lord of Israel, regardless of circumstance or consequence. This is genuine devotion, and real love.

Joseph was tempted. Let’s rewind a few chapters. Soon after arriving in Egypt, Joseph came to be a servant in the household of Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials. Because the Lord was with Joseph, he prospered and soon was put in charge of Potiphar’s entire household. Enter Potiphar’s wife:

"Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, ‘Come to bed with me!’ But he refused. ‘With me in charge,’ he told her, ‘my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care… How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?’” (Genesis 39:6b-8)

When presented with this temptation, Joseph acknowledges that it would be a sin against Potiphar, who has entrusted him with so much, but his first thought is of the Lord Himself. Horrified at the thought of sinning against the God he so dearly loves, Joseph refuses the temptation. This must have been really hard. To a lonely man living in a foreign land, Potiphar’s wife offered pleasure, companionship, and even power. But Joseph desired God more than any of these things, and responded by promptly-and repeatedly-turning away from the temptation.

“And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.” (Genesis 39:10)

Understanding the danger of the temptation, Joseph does his best to avoid it altogether (we should take notes), but is eventually cornered by this temptation and forced to face it head on:

“One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, ‘Come to bed with me!’ But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.” (Genesis 39:11-12)

Faced with the choice between deeply offending the God he loves and mortifying his own flesh, Joseph chose the latter. This choice to Joseph was as simplified (God or Potiphar's wife) as it was speedy. He did not give the temptation an inch by lingering to think about what he would do, explaining the decision to Potiphar's wife, or even stopping to grab his cloak! Confronted with this temptation, Joseph did not saunter out of danger: he sprinted.

Temptation as an issue of love. When we are faced with temptation, we ultimately prioritize our loves. Do I love God more than I love money? What about comfort? Power? Our response to temptation can often serve as a spiritual thermometer, indicating the point at which our hearts burn with love for the Lord. Do we truly love God more than all that the temptation offers? Is He our first and greatest love, or just a back up option when nothing more alluring presents itself?

When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:37). I think Jesus mentioned the "love" commandment before the "obedience" commandments because He understood the inner workings of the human heart (He did design it, after all). What we truly love, we will worship and obey.

Getting our priorities straight. I don't pretend to believe that we can stop ourselves from being tempted. In fact, I think we might as well try to stop the rain from falling in springtime. But I do believe we can take steps to make temptations...well...less tempting! The more we hunger for God and Him only, the less we will be tempted by other things that offer to satisfy. If we become accustomed to the rich bread of His word, His will, and His very presence in our lives, the less we will be tempted by the potato chips this world has to offer. We serve a God who promises us: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). I pray that we would fall out of love with the temptations which threaten our souls, and ever more in love with our Gracious Father, who promises to satisfy us with good things.

"For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good." (Psalm 107:9)