Tempting Fate

Fate is basically the destiny God has set for our lives, and to tempt fate is to do something that severely risks getting off course and not completing it through some behavior or state of mind.

Jesus knew the will and way of God and didn’t tempt the Father by doing something outside His will. This is brought out in a most unusual way in John’s Gospel.

“After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.” (John 7:1)

One would say Jesus was unwilling to tempt fate. His brothers, however, tried to get Him to go anyway, because it was at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. And while Jesus refused their request, mainly because God and not man led him, He did go, which was never in doubt because it was a part of God’s law to attend.

While He was there He taught, and when the Jewish leaders tried to seize Him, they couldn’t because “His hour had not yet come.” (John 7:30)

Jesus never tempted fate by moving or teaching without knowing His father’s will (John 5:19). Even when Satan tempted Him to show His divinity in the wilderness, Jesus declined saying, “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.” (Matthew 4:7)

How often do we needlessly tempt fate, or for that matter, tempt God through our careless and arrogant attitude toward life and our relationship with Him?
• We openly flaunt God’s word by our willful attitude toward sin (adultery, lust, greed, etc.)
• We openly flaunt Gods’ grace and mercy by continuing sinful practices saying, “God will forgive.”
• And we think that we’re indestructible and that the consequences of our wrong or bad decisions won’t affect us.

How can we stop tempting fate?
• Follow God’s word, because in it we’ll find His will
• Operate within God’s parameters for our lives, knowing that each is different.
• Pray that God to will lead us.