Thursday February 28

Read: 2 Samuel 11:1-5, Job 31:1-7, Psalm 119:37

Have you ever seen anyone who has spent a lot of time staring at the sun? Chances are that you saw them but they couldn't see you! There are so many ways that we can be physically and emotionally damaged by things that we look at. Just think of the long-term trauma caused by seeing atrocities committed in times of war or disaster!

 

Job explains this link between our eyes and our hearts in vs 7 of today’s reading by saying that God should judge, “if my heart has been led by my eyes”. Job makes a clear link between the things that we look at and how our hearts are led into sin. Think back over the last couple of days. Jesus is teaching that God’s standard is not just about our external actions but about our hearts. If our hearts and our eyes are linked then we need to guard our eyes if we are aiming for “not even a hint of sexual immorality” (Ephesians 5:3).

 

What about the sordid story of David and Bathsheba which ends in adultery and murder? If you aren’t familiar with the story then I encourage you to read all of 2 Samuel 11. Verses 1 - 5 give us clues about how David caught himself up in such destructive sin. Firstly, David was at home when it was his job as King to lead the army in times of war. Verse 1 tells us that rather than being away doing his job he was at home. I like to imagine him sitting on the couch, eating chips and saying “I’ll be there later”. This was David’s first error. He was being lazy and not doing his job.

 

Now consider vs 2. How did David allow himself to get caught up in this particular sin? “From the roof he saw a woman bathing”. David is at home where he doesn’t belong and he does not guard his eyes. From this moment we see the slippery slope that leaves King David a murderer and an adulterer.

 

Let’s talk practically. How do you need to protect your eyes in this area in order to meet the standard of “not even a hint of sexual immorality”? What are the things that you need to guard your eyes from? Is it late night TV programs, movies, junk mail, low cut blouses, joggers of the opposite sex, images on the internet, or magazines? Whatever it is that leads your heart into sin you need to guard your eyes from. You might even need to cut some of these things off completely!

 

Starting today make sure you guard your eyes from every thing that might lead you into sexual immorality. Do as Job did in Job 31:1 and make a covenant with your eyes. Memorise and pray Psalm 119:37 every time that you are tempted with your eyes. Today is the day to start this habit in order to protect your very heart and grow to meet God’s standard!

 

Prayer:

Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.

Adoration:

 

Confession:

 

Thanks:

 

Supplication:

¥ Pray that God would stir up in your heart and the hearts of all in the congregation a desire for absolute holiness with regards to their eyes and sexual purity. Pray that there would not even be a hint of sexual immorality amongst God’s people. Pray that today that we would all be challenged to guard our eyes and maintain a pure heart before God.

Pray for the more than 30 million men, women and children around the world who are enslaved and forced into labour or prostitution. Pray that God would change the hearts of men who drive demand for this industry through the consumption of pornography or participating in sexual abuse. Pray that God would work to free those who are trapped in the

¥ industry and that God would raise up men and women of Christ to set captives free. Check out http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/ for more information.

My Additional Prayer Points.

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Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. What are some things that you have seen which have affected your heart or led you into sin?

2. Split into groups of men and women and discuss what things you need to guard your eyes against. How can you help and encourage each other to be on guard?