Take heed, and beware of covetousness

Posted : 18 Mar, 2013 02:29 AM

Psalm 119:36 Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to covetousness.





But what "makes us to go in the path of God's

commandments?" The force of His Almighty love effectually

inclines the will, as with a Divine touch. The day of His power,

in which He makes us willing, is a time of love. "I drew them"-

says he-"with cords of a man, and with bands of love." Every

man, who is conscious of the counteracting bias within, will

deeply feel the need of this prayer-"Incline my heart." The

native principle of man draws him to his own self-to his own

indulgence-pleasure-covetousness-assuming a thousand

forms of gratifying self, at the expense of love to God. Few but

are ready to condemn this principle in others, while perhaps it

may be their own "easily-besetting sin." When the mind is

grasping after the world, as if it were our portion, we have the

greatest reason to "take heed" to our Lord's admonition, and

beware of "covetousness." When we invest earthly

gratifications with any inherent excellency-virtually putting

them in the place of God-then will be a season for special

supplication-Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to

covetousness. There is probably no principle so opposed to the Lord's

testimonies. It casts out the principle of obedience, since the

love of God cannot co-exist with the love of the world; and the

very desire to serve Mammon is a proof of unfaithfulness to

God. We mark the deadly influence in direct breaches of the

law of God. Balaam, in the indulgence of this propensity, set

his will in mad contradiction to God; Ahab was tempted to

murder; David, to murder and adultery; Achan, to steal; Judas,

both to steal from his fellows, and to betray his Master;

Gehazi and Ananias to lying. And besides-what is the matter

of common but painful observation-how much of the good

seed of the kingdom, that was springing up with the promise

of a plentiful harvest, has this weed of rank luxuriance

"choked, that it has become unfruitful!" Our Lord's parables,

therefore-His providence-His promises-His terms of

discipleship-His counsels-His own example of poverty and

renunciation of this world's comfort-all are directed against this

destructive principle. The power of the love of Christ delivered

Matthew and Zaccheus from its influence, and "inclined their

hearts to the testimonies of God." And has not faith still the

same power to turn the heart from the world, from sin, from

self, to Christ? Learn, then, to rest upon the promise of His

love, and to delight in His testimonies. Earthly cares will be

cast upon him, and earthly prospects will lose their splendor.

This life of faith-living in union with a heavenly Savior, involves

the only effective principle of resistance. Those who are risen

with Christ will be temperate in earthly things, "setting their

affections on things above." Such-such alone-will "mortify the

members that are upon the earth-evil concupiscence, and

covetousness, which is idolatry."

We desire to sit loose to our earthly comforts. Are we enabled

to check our natural discontent with the Lord's dealings with

us, and to restrain our eagerness to "seek great things for

ourselves," by the recollection of His word-"Seek them not?" Let us not forget, that the inclination-even if it is not brought

into active and perceptible motion, is fatally destructive of the

life of religion. "Those who will be rich fall into temptation and

a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown

men in destruction and perdition." Awful warning to

professors!-"The love of money is the root of all evil; which

while some have coveted after, they have erred from the faith,

and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." A most

important exhortation to the people of God!" But you, O man

of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness." If

the Lord loves you, He will not indeed lose you; but unless

you "take heed, and beware of covetousness," He will not

spare you. In the midst, therefore, of temptation without, and a

world of sin within, go onwards, with the pilgrim's prayer

indelibly fixed on your heart-"Incline my heart to Your

testimonies, and not to covetousness."



by

Charles Bridges

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