Today’s devotion is similar to yesterday but perhaps helps us think about temptation a little differently.  Shane Claiborne writes this about temptation (see resource list for reference):

Isn’t it interesting that one of the first things Jesus does after his baptism is head into the desert to be tempted?  It’s striking that the temptations he faces are not just personal sins…the most attractive temptations are not just the bad things but the subtle distortions of good things…Beware of the almost good, just short of the good that God has for you. And if the tempter can’t steal our soul, perhaps he (sic) will just keep us busy with “important” work that pulls us away from community, reconciliation and living.

There are so many truly important things that tempt us away from our relationships with God.  The first step is to be aware of where we are putting our time and energies.

Prayer Focus: If you watch the news this evening, how might you use it as a prompt to prayer and not just information?  Choose one story from our local news and take that into your personal prayers of intercession for the day.