It’s Slippery Out Here!
"Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil."
Psalm 141:4
Psalm 141:4
Years
ago, when I was learning to ski, I followed my son Josh down what
appeared to be a gentle slope. With my eyes on him I failed to notice he
turned down the steepest hill on the mountain, and I found myself
careening down the slope, completely out of control. I cratered, of
course.
Psalm 141 shows how we can easily find ourselves slipping down sin’s slope. Prayer is one of the ways we stay alert to those slopes: “Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil” (v. 4) is a plea that echoes the Lord’s Prayer almost exactly: “Lead [me] not into temptation, but deliver [me] from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13). In His goodness, God hears and answers this prayer.
And then I find in this psalm another agent of grace: a faithful friend. “Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness; let him rebuke me—that is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it” (Psalm 141:5). Temptations are subtle. We’re not always aware that we’re going wrong. A true friend can be objective. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” (Proverbs 27:6 nkjv). It’s hard to accept rebuke, but if we see the wounding as a “kindness” it can become an anointing that puts us back on the path of obedience.
May we be open to truth from a trusted friend and rely on God through prayer.
Psalm 141 shows how we can easily find ourselves slipping down sin’s slope. Prayer is one of the ways we stay alert to those slopes: “Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil” (v. 4) is a plea that echoes the Lord’s Prayer almost exactly: “Lead [me] not into temptation, but deliver [me] from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13). In His goodness, God hears and answers this prayer.
And then I find in this psalm another agent of grace: a faithful friend. “Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness; let him rebuke me—that is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it” (Psalm 141:5). Temptations are subtle. We’re not always aware that we’re going wrong. A true friend can be objective. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” (Proverbs 27:6 nkjv). It’s hard to accept rebuke, but if we see the wounding as a “kindness” it can become an anointing that puts us back on the path of obedience.
May we be open to truth from a trusted friend and rely on God through prayer.
Reflect & Pray
What slippery slopes do you gravitate toward? In what ways can you set a guard over your heart?
Father, please keep my feet from straying. Help me to listen to You and good friends.
The slippery slopes that drag me down would be being negative sometimes. I tend to let the stress of my day overtake my life. Instead of stopping and saying okay Lord how can I stop and grab you instead of the side of the cliff. When I am supposed to be vulnerable and open about what I am dealing with, I struggle with sharing and feeling safe about what I share, being reassured that the person I am confiding in is keeping all my worries confidential. I need to remember that the sin is heavy but God is bigger, so with him He will always keep our paths straight.
ReplyDeleteThis struck true to me. While it is not a sin to not make my bed in the mornings I find that if I don't do it I can slowly start to let other small "chores" slide. This is true of anything I think. It's important to consciously make the effort to live by Christ. And just like any little task, if we let things slide once it can lead to a steeper slope. We are all human, and if we mess up, it's important to take note, and try better next time! It is that simple act that keeps us from the edge.
ReplyDeleteConstant prayer is one of my biggest defenses against those "slippery slopes". Even simply keeping a prayer under my breath at all times (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me and save me!) can keep me focused and on a straighter path.
ReplyDeleteLife can be just one slippery slope after another! Every hour there are challenges, whether you are driving and trying not to judge every car around you, or whether you are in a classroom, repeating the same thing for the third time and you want to just give up because no one cares. That sounds extreme, but it can happen. Lack of patience is a slippery slope I deal with, patience with myself and with others. I feel like God continually gives me situations to practice my patience in and that I am a horrible student!
ReplyDelete