No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. 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. (NIV)

One of the scariest things I’ve experienced so far during my time living in Alaska is standing at the bottom of a valley and hearing an avalanche let loose above me. The sound alone is terrifying, even worse I’d say than the 2018 earthquake. I was alone with five kids at Byron Glacier on a beautiful June day when a sound like a freight train reverberated through the narrow canyon. I saw the snow coming down the side of the mountain, I picked up my toddler as other tourists yelled, Avalanche! around me, and I ran down the trail hoping to get us to safety. What made me stop running was a very tall family all wearing Michigan sweatshirts that was standing there watching what I was trying to escape, because from their vantage point, they could see that the snow was diverting away from where I had been standing and its volume was nowhere near enough to reach us. I had overestimated the threat, but my senses had told me there was a real threat, and I should run to safety.  

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I think we’ve all seen videos where people stay put when they should flee or run toward natural disasters in hopes of filming the hurricane or tornado. I think these people either don’t understand the danger or are seeking some kind of thrill from doing something highly stupid. I’m quite risk-adverse myself, but I am guessing they think things like, “I’ll be able to drive away before the twister gets to me” or “the water won’t come up this far.” SO many people underestimate the threat and overestimate their ability to stay safe (See also tourists in Alaska trying to photograph moose). However, the hero of our Bible story today did NOT underestimate the threat or overestimate his ability resist temptation.

In the Old Testament we read the story of a man named Joseph. Through a series of very unfortunate events, he gets sold into slavery by his own brothers and ends up in Egypt working in the palace of the Pharoah. One of Pharoah’s officials, Potiphar, takes a liking to Joseph and puts him in charge of many things. Sadly, Potiphar’s wife also takes a liking to Joseph and tries to seduce him. First, he uses his words to tell her that he’s not interested and he doesn’t want sin against God. She continues to relentlessly pursue him and one day corners him alone in the house. In response, he runs away from her advances, leaving his cloak, which she later uses to frame him. I love that, in this story, the Bible tells us Joseph literally runs. He doesn’t sit down to reason with her, he doesn’t have one drink just to be polite; he RUNS. Jospeh was loyal not only to his master, but to his God, and all along on his journey he made choices full of integrity and trust in his Heavenly Father to provide for him despite horrible circumstances. He stayed true to what he knew was right, and in the end, God rewarded him and blessed his family greatly.  

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As we continue our marriage series, it is good to be honest about the threat of sexual temptation. There will be temptations that come in many forms, and we should not underestimate the threat or overestimate our ability to resist and do what is right in God’s eyes. The sanctity of marriage is too important to flirt with disaster, even a little. Don’t make excuses, don’t minimize, don’t hesitate or wait to see how it pans out. Run. Be like me at Byron Glacier and overreact, instead of pretending it’s no big deal. Sexual sin is a big deal to God and has destroyed so many lives.

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The “Just Run” advice can also apply to any and all types of sin. The Bible promises us that God will provide a way out of temptation, but you have to take it (1 Cor. 10:13). I did not have an avalanche plan, but I responded as quickly as I could to protect myself and my child. I wonder if Joseph had a plan when he could see Potiphar’s wife getting too close or too interested. Do you have a plan for the temptations you are facing? Take a moment today to prayerfully plan for the next time you're faced with temptation. That could involve phoning a friend, going to Scripture, or even "fleeing" by getting in your car and going for a drive. Talk to God and maybe even a trusted friend today about how you can stay true to God and what you believe, that you may reap the rewards of faithfulness.

O God who controls all of creation, you alone are holy and sovereign. We overestimate our abilities to resist temptation, and we stupidly think we won’t get caught or give in this time. Help us to respond as Joseph did when faced specifically with the opportunity for sexual sin. Help us to turn and run in the other direction, toward YOU and what is holy and pure. The world serves up so many things that are not good for us. By your Spirit, help us to resist those things that will harm us and our relationships with others. Please guard and strengthen all the marriages of those reading this devotional today. In your Son’s powerful name we pray, Amen.