No Compromise From The Road to Grace Devotional
I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not fasten its grip on me.
Psalms 101:3
The psalmist’s tone in this verse is one of fierce determination: “I’m not playing games with sexual sin; I hate it, and it will not be my master.” Let’s look at the three components of this verse.
“I will set…” the psalmist takes complete responsibility for what is before him. He doesn’t blame his wife, his circumstances, other people or his job for past failures or present temptations. It’s not the internet’s fault for offering porn, or his TV’s problem for piping sexually explicit programs into his home. Whether his sexual relationship with his wife is good or bad is irrelevant. To the extent that he is in control of his circumstances, the psalmist will be firm in his stand to do what is right. He will not compromise.
“…No worthless thing before my eyes.” The psalmist leaves no room for lust to get in his face. Anything that might cause him to sin gets thrown out, no matter the cost. Movies with sexual content are not tolerated; porn websites are blocked. Strip clubs are avoided like the plague. So are the wrong women. It’s better to “do without” and walk free than to live in bondage to shame and depravity.
“I hate the work of those who fall away.” Lust isn’t a puppy dog, wagging its tail for a bone; it’s a savage wolf that steals, kills and destroys. The psalmist hates it. He hates the ruptured families, broken lives, shame, and misery that sexual sin causes. He’s seen the misery and destruction in the lives of others who’ve gone too far. He knows the tragic tales in the Bible, such as that of Samson, where the pursuit of a few moments of pleasure cost him everything. And, he knows that lust could destroy his life as well.
“It shall not fasten its grip on me.” The Cheshire cat grins as it sets the trap: “A little porn won’t hurt you, it’s just pictures.” Then, you take the bait, the desire for more, bigger and better sets in. Boundaries are crossed, risks are taken, until eventually, it happens. Your wife finds out; maybe your daughter stumbles onto pictures on the computer, or you’re exposed by the company’s monitoring software.
Success in the battle starts with an attitude of no compromise: “I will set no worthless thing before my eyes.” Anything less is a game of Russian roulette—with five bullets in the chamber.
Excerpt from The Road to Grace Devotional
©2012 by Mike Genung. All Rights Reserved. This excerpt may be copied and forwarded only if this permission paragraph is retained intact and a link to this website is included.