Old Testament passage for Thursday, August 29, 2013: Job 31:1-33:33
“I have made a covenant with my eyes; ..." Job 31:1 (NKJV)
Beauty Care for the Eyes
Several years ago, Leroy Koopman wrote a wonderful little book entitled Beauty Care for the Eyes.* It's a great study in how eye care and eye problems relate to our walk with God. He deals with nearsightedness, farsightedness, color blindness, tunnel vision, and a host of other maladies including total blindness.
Job had eye problems. Therefore, he made a covenant with his eyes. The specific context for Job was sexual temptation. In the New Living Translation, Job 31:1 says: “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust upon a young woman.” In the New Testament, I John 2:16 speaks of "the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes." These are tied together -- and they are epidemic in our world today.
I am not saying that the only "eye problem" anyone ever has is lust. As Dr. Koopman writes, there are numerous ways in which we need to "make a covenant with our eyes." But, for Job, in the midst of God's dealings in his life, he was called to conquer the stronghold of "the wandering eye."
Every Man's Battle
In Stephen Arterburn's book Every Man's Battle, there is an entire section entitled Victory with Your Eyes. There he prescribes three simple practices to make a covenant with your eyes. Two of these are defensive: 1) bouncing the eyes, and 2) starving the eyes. The third is offensive: take up your sword and shield!
Handling Satan's Curve Ball
BOUNCING means "don't keep looking!" Bounce your eyes when a lingerie ad flashes across the screen, or when a pop-up ad hits your computer. Look away.
STARVING means getting off junk food so you can enjoy real food. Fast foods and quick thrills never satisfy but faithful fidelity will! The lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes promises instant enjoyment. God promised eternal blessing. You have to starve yourself of the bad in order to fully enjoy the good.
Taking the Offensive
"Taking up your sword and shield" is a principle that applies to all eye care -- not just overcoming lust. In Ephesians 6, Paul lists our spiritual armor. Among them is "the shield of faith with which we will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one" (Eph. 6:16). Please note: ALL the fiery darts. Not just some.
He goes on to say that we are to take up "the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God" (Eph. 6:17). Arming ourselves with God's Word is basic to all spiritual advance. No ground can be permanently taken without the Truth that sets us free.
The Divine Eye Doctor
God understands us better than we understand ourselves. He knows our every need. Leroy Koopman calls Him the DIVINE OPHTHALMOLOGIST. Eyesight is one of our most cherished possessions. Being able to see clearly is one of God's greatest gifts to us. For this reason, we all need to "make a covenant with our eyes." Make sure, in the words of Jesus, "the eye is single" so that our whole body can be "full of light" (Matt. 6:22).
So, let's all make an appointment for an eye checkup. Let's ask God to open our eyes to all that He is, and blind us to the illusions of the world.
* This book was part of a series by Leroy Koopman. Other "Beauty Care" books deal with hands, ears, feet, and tongue.
No comments:
Post a Comment