About Green Grass and Temptation

Yesterday I wrote about temptation. We all are tempted; some act on those temptations and they can bring about terrible consequences for themselves and those around them.

Sin came into a perfect world because of two people not believing what God had told them and giving in to temptation. Because of that, we all have suffered.

"The woman was convinced. How lovely and fresh looking it was! And it would make her so wise! So she ate some of the fruit and gave some to her husband, and he ate it too." Genesis 3:6-7 (TLB)

About Green Grass

They say the grass is greener
On the other side of the fence,
So for me to want to stay right here,
I’d have to be quite dense.

I’ll say “Good bye” to obligations,
Cast my commitments to the wind.
I’ll not worry about the broken hearts,
For they will surely mend.

So, I’ll burn the ships behind me,
Never mind the blazing fire.
For I’m on to greener pastures,
Greener pastures of desire.

I’ll not look back at tear stained faces,
I’ll close my ears to counsel wise,
For I only see green pastures
Under bright and sunny skies.

I’ll leave behind restraints and conflicts,
As I step down on grass so green,
And wonder why I stayed so long
With only that fence between.

As I step down upon the grass
This grass so emerald green,
A man appears from nowhere
Someone I had not seen.

“Come with me, I’ll show you pleasures,
The likes of which you’ve never seen.
Your dull life is behind you,
You’re moving on to grass that’s green”

So I followed him down this wide, wide road,
We’d stop along the way.
“You must experience all of this.
Stay as long as you want to stay.”

I experienced things I cannot explain
With this new friend by my side.
And, all the things I longed to do,
I no longer had to hide.

Suddenly the road of pleasure
Came abruptly to an end
In desperation I looked about
But , I could not find my friend!

If my friend would lead me to the fence,
To the life I’d left somewhere,
I’d just leave this road of pleasure
For the life I left back there.

And suddenly my friend appeared
And, there across his head,
Was written the world “Deception”
Not in green, but brilliant red.

“I’m sorry, Sir, but you can’t go back.”
My deceptive friend did whine,
“Remember all those many ships
You thoughtlessly burned behind?”

“By the way, my name’s DECEPTION,
And this is what I do.
I paint grass green THIS side of the fence
For gullible souls like you.”

Jo Ann 1996

But, God is faithful to carry those who are tempted; they don't have to act on those temptations. Also, God is faithful to forgive those who have given in to temptation and have wrecked havoc on their lives and the lives of others.

"My little children, I am telling you this so that you will stay away from sin. But if you sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father. His name is Jesus Christ, the one who is all that is good and who pleases God completely. He is the one who took God’s wrath against our sins upon himself and brought us into fellowship with God; and he is the forgiveness for our sins, and not only ours but all the world’s. John 2:1-2Living Bible (TLB)