Drawn

Scripture:
Psalm 141:4 — “Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evil doers; let me not eat of their delicacies.” (NIV)

Observation:
It all starts with the heart. The path towards destruction, the path towards being swallowed into the outstretched grasp of evil starts not with a physical step but with a drawing force targeting not at my feet but my heart. If I desire to leave my chair at the table filled with the delicacies of evil doers empty, I must first keep my heart from longing to be there way before I try to keep my feet from taking the first step towards it.

Application:
Today I need to truly understand what it means to guard my heart. May I stop treating the entry to my heart like a bouncer at a club … letting anything socially acceptable or pleasing to the senses in. May I guard my heart as if my life depended on it, like my family’s life depended on it, like my ministry depends on it…cause it does. I need you to keep my heart from being drawn away God. I will guard what enters my eyes and ears but Lord be my protector from the things lurking around the corner that I can’t see, the things whispering to my heart from afar and drawing me away almost unnoticed to me.

Prayer:
I trust you today to keep my heart from being drawn by anything other than You. I commit to guarding my eyes and ears, please guard me from what my senses can’t pick up. May my seat at the table filled with the delicacies of evil remain empty.

— Jason Smith, student pastor, Madison/Ridgeland campus