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PRAYER FOR TODAY
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Monday April 7 - Seduction’s pathway
He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the
direction of her house... Proverbs 7:8
We trace the journey of a young man; he was one among many; he could represent any one of us. Solomon describes him as simple, foolish, having no sense of danger. Apparently he knew where he was going, walking in the direction of the woman’s house. Did he know the woman? Could it be that he wanted to sense the atmosphere of the ‘red light’ district? It was twilight, darkness was closing in. Perhaps he thought he would not be recognised – foolishly thinking that the all-knowing, omnipresent God was unaware of the goings-on.
Why do we sometimes choose to walk so close to the edge, not knowing we are one step away from a precipice? Let’s taste and see: the first kiss, the first high, the first watch, the first... when God has said it is wrong. A fool says, “I’ll risk it!”, “It doesn’t matter,” “I will be able to say, ‘no’ to further temptation.”
King David’s second glance at the beautiful Bathsheba was so, so costly. Wisdom screams at us to avoid temptation. I remember the story, many years ago, of a man who was tempted on his way home from work to gaze at the ‘girlie photos’ posted outside a nightclub. To avoid temptation he chose to make a 3-mile detour! Is there a change of direction you might need to take today?
Father, for many of us it could just be the on/off switch on our TV remote control. Please convict us and grant us your wisdom! Amen.
Tuesday April 8 - Seduction’s deception
Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with
crafty intent... She took hold of him and kissed him... Proverbs 7:10,13
“All that glitters is not gold! You can’t judge a book by its cover!” We’ve grown up knowing these and other sayings that tell us to beware of ‘sugar coatings’. Yes, the young man was green behind the ears but there was intent, indeed crafty intent, to entrap him. I’m no fisherman, but I know that ground bait is used as an ‘appetiser’ to attract fish. It’s a freebie to entice the fish to let down their guard and take the concealed hook!
The woman kissed him. Wisdom will warn us whether a kiss is the kiss of life or the kiss of death. She took hold of him! This was more than a physical thing; she ‘got into his mind’. After his victory on Mount Carmel, King Ahab’s wife Jezebel threatened to take Elijah’s life. She got into his head, so much so that he ran away, wanting to give up, and lay down to die (1 Kings 19:1-4).
Returning to the bait – bait is always tasty, something the targeted fish enjoy. At a fleshly level, sin can initially be enjoyable and exciting, but once it’s got a toehold it can lead to a foothold, then a stronghold... and finally it becomes a stranglehold.
Dear friends, join me today in asking for God’s gift of discernment so we can know what’s hidden behind the glossy cover!
Father, I humble myself before you and ask for a discerning heart so that I may distinguish between right and wrong (1 Kings 3:9). Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY