If the Bible contained a prayer which Dieters might wish to take as their own it would surely be this extract taken from the Lord’s prayer: ‘lead us not into temptation!’ But what has puzzled me somewhat is that God sometimes does seem to lead us deliberately into a place where we are exposed to temptation!  This is what happened to Jesus, after all…Recall that time when, after being baptised by John in the river Jordan, the Scripture says that He was ‘led by the Spirit into the wilderness where He was tempted by the Devil for forty days.’ One of those temptations was to turn stones into bread to satisfy his physical hunger. In this instance He was clearly led into a place where He would be vulnerable.

In the light of this and other Scriptures ‘lead us not into temptation’ must have another meaning. Perhaps Jesus wasn’t referring to the place or situation where temptation might arise but rather into the temptation itself, as in allowing it to have power over us. Temptation is the Devil’s tool to lure us into sin which would eventually destroy us but God will allow us to be exposed to temptation at times in order to manifest His grace in our lives and to develop our character. What Satan intends for evil God is always able to turn to good.

God promises us in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that He will not tempt us above what we are able to bear but will, with the temptation, make a way of escape so that we are able to bear it. (Sometimes that way of escape is within our power – to avoid being stung, stay away from bees! -Right? But when there seems to be no way out, what then can we do? We have to run to the Lord and cry out to Him to keep us from caving in at the sight of that doughnut (or whatever food it happens to be that’s calling our name when we’re not physically hungry)

And God will  keep us – He has promised! Paul refers to God as the One who is able to ‘keep you from falling…’ (Jude 24) But this keeping isn’t automatic.  Paul also testified: ‘I know who I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.’ (2 Timothy 1:12)  God can only keep that which we have committed into His keeping, so the initiative lies with us to commit the whole of our eating behaviour into His hands. This means relinquishing our own control and making Jesus the Lord of our appetite.

Have you ever thought of doing this before?  If not, why not make this your simple prayer right now…   Heavenly Father, I feel so vulnerable when it comes to food, but You have promised to keep me from falling if I put my trust in You.  In recognition of my trust I choose now to hand over this area of my life into Your hands and acknowledge You, from this moment on, to be the Lord of my appetite. Thank you that when I feel weak, that is when I can experience Your strength and Your grace. Thank you for your keeping power in my life this day and every day as I look to You.  Amen