Precious promises to those, that flee from temptation, and desire to walk in the ways of God!

Posted : 19 Mar, 2013 02:30 AM

Psalm 119:37 Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity; and

quicken me in Your way.





So strongly does the man of God deprecate temptation to self indulgence, that he prays to be kept at the greatest possible

distance from it. That his heart may not be inclined to it: he

desires that his eyes may be turned away from beholding it.

Keeping the eye is a grand means of "keeping the heart."

Satan has so infused his poison into all the objects around us,

that all furnish fuel for temptation: and the heart-naturally

inclined to evil, and hankering after vanity-is stolen away in a

moment. Vanity includes "all that is in the world- the lust of the

flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life." All is sin,

"because it is not of the Father, but is of the world." Of all that

belongs to earth-"the preacher, the son of David"-standing on

the vantage-ground, and having taken within his view the

widest horizon of this world's excellency, has pronounced his

judgment-"Vanity of vanities, says the preacher, vanity of

vanities! all is vanity." We have just mentioned "the lusts of

other things choking" many a promising profession. Our Lord's solemn caution to His own disciples implies their injury to a

sincere profession-"Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time

your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness,

and cares of this life; and so that day come upon you

unawares." Some, indeed, seem to walk, as if they were proof

against temptation. They venture to the very edge of the

precipice, under a vain assurance that no danger is to be

apprehended. But such a confidence is upon the brink of a

grievous fall. The tender-hearted child of God, trusting in the

promise, that "Sin shall not have dominion over him," knows

that he can only enjoy the security of it, while he is shrinking

from every occasion of sin. He "hates even the garment

spotted by the flesh;" and, remembering how often his

outward senses have ministered to the workings of his weak

and treacherous heart, he continues in prayer-"Turn away my

eyes from beholding vanity!"

Probably the recollection of the circumstance of his own sin,

would to the end of his life remind David of his special need of

this prayer. Yet who that is conscious of his own weakness

and corruption, will find the prayer unsuitable to his

circumstances of daily temptation? But we must watch as well

as pray. For as watchfulness without prayer is presumption,

so prayer without watchfulness is self-delusion. To pray that

"our eyes" may be "turned from vanity," without "making a

covenant with our eyes," that they should not behold it, is like

"taking fire in our bosoms," and expecting "not to be burnt,"

because we have prayed that we might not be burnt. If we

pray not to be "led into temptation," we must "watch that we

enter not into it." The sincerity of our prayer will be proved by

the watchfully avoiding the circumstances and occasions of

temptation. The fear of sin will manifest itself by a fear of

temptation to sin. "The knife will be put to the throat, if we be

given to appetite." We shall be afraid of the wine sparkling in

the glass. But where is the harm of beholding vanity, if we do not follow

it? When Eve beheld the forbidden fruit, perhaps she did not

think of taking it: and when she took it, she did not think of

eating it: but the beginning of sin "is as the letting out of

water," whose progress once opened, beats down all before it.

And who, after our "beguiled mother," has not found the eye

an inlet to sin? When Bunyan's pilgrims were obliged to pass

through Vanity Fair, beset on every side with temptations and

allurements, they stopped their eyes and ears, and quickening

their pace, cried-"Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity!"

A striking reproof to us, who too often loiter and gaze, until we

begin to covet those vanities, to which, as Christians, we "are

dead!"

Is it asked-What will most effectually "turn my eyes from

vanity?" Not the seclusion of contemplative retirement-not the

relinquishment of our lawful connection with the world; but the

transcendent beauty of Jesus unveiled to our eyes, and fixing

our hearts. This will "turn our eyes from vanity" in its most

glittering forms. The sight of the "pearl of great price" dims the

luster of the "goodliest pearls" of earth; at once deadens us to

the enticements of the world, and urges us forward in the

pursuit of the prize. And is not this our object? It is not

enough, that through special mercy I am preserved from

temptations. I want to be quickened to more life, energy,

delight, and devotedness in the way of my God. The secret of

Christian progress is simplicity and diligence. "This one thing I

do,-forgetting the things that are behind, and reaching forth to

those things that are before; I press towards the mark, for the

prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." The Spirit

leaves no wish in the heart for beholding vanity. The world

with all its flowery paths, is a dreary wilderness; and Christ

and heaven are the only objects of desire-"He who shuts his

eyes from seeing evil, he shall dwell on high; his place of

defense shall be the munitions of rocks; bread shall be given

him, his water shall be sure. Your eyes shall see the King in His beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off."

Precious promises to those, that flee from temptation, and

desire to walk in the ways of God!



by

Charles Bridges

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