Proverbs 7:24-25,
“Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.”
You can hear the earnest call of Solomon as he pleads to those who will listen; do not go that direction! From Proverbs 6-27 we read the story of a harlot captivating a young man and dragging him into her snare. Yet the fault does not lie with the harlot, it lies with the young man who stepped out on the street and headed in her direction. It is he who looked upon her and lusted after her enticing words. He was enraptured by the taunt of sinful moments spent in secret. He dared to consider the temptation and it lead to impurity. Just as we allow enticements into our own lives that we think we can handle, until the day we realize it was the wooing of sin all along that drug us down into the pit of shame.
Solomon’s plea is to turn away, to not even go near the dangers that lie before us; whether it be the sin of adultery, covetousness, lying, stealing….the list goes on, we are to refrain, turn away, don’t even look at the false picture being painted. When we give in to temptation, we are disregarding God’s commands and when we have been tempted and sinned, we have broken the sweet fellowship God offers to those who walk upright. So we need to daily seek His help to keep away from temptation; we need to keep our eyes open to the snares spread before us; we need to avoid all mental, emotional or physical contact with those things that draw us away from God (1 Corinthians 10:12-13).
Summarizing Matthew Henry’s statement on this passage; we need to beware of sins that are said to be pleasant sins. These sins are more dangerous because they easily gain the heart and close it against repentance.
If you know the things that entice you to sin, tell them to God and ask Him to remove them from your path. Seek Him when you are tempted. Resist Satan and he will flee from you (James 4:7-8). Repent of the sin if it holds your attention because holding the attention of the lust is as though you’ve committed the sin already (Matthew 5:27-29).
Prayer: Father, you have called us to be your people. Show us how to walk in the Spirit so that we do not lust after the things of the flesh. Lead us by your Spirit so that we reap the fruit of the Spirit. LORD, help us to live and walk in the Spirit so that we are a testimony to your faithfulness. LORD, we turn our eyes upon Jesus, we look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace. Let us carry this song in our hearts today as we keep our eyes upon you instead of the things of this world. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
Abiding Still,
Connie Renfro ©
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