Lest We Fall

Lately I have felt rather saddened by the displays of immorality that seem to hit the media every day. My heart goes out to all the families who have been negatively affected by the "Ashley Madison" scandal. Unfortunately it isn't only families involved who have been touched by this immoral misjudgment. It is the nation. I have been shaken by this piece of news, but I feel that the Lord has used it to help me examine my walk. The Lord has been re-crucified in the hearts of all of those who have chosen to trade what is pure and holy for a lie. This scandal is a blow to Christianity here in America. These individuals have not only deeply hurt their spouse, children, family, friends, and acquaintances, they have grieved the God of the universe. They have nearly forfeit their ability to minister truth in the future.

I could keep on going about how they have failed and how they've messed everything up for Christians here in America...well, I'm not going to. I'm going to talk about you and me. We are just like them. We are just as easily tempted. We leave the right hand of our crucified Christ for lesser things. We run to the small and useless things of this world to fulfill us. We look to everything but Christ even though we say that He is our greatest prize. Is He your highest joy? Do you chase after Him like you chase after education, friends, family, popularity, satisfaction, grades, relationships, times, money, and pleasure?

We are all like children playing in the mud. We are dirty and covered in grime...but we find satisfaction in it. Here we are making mud pies - ones we can't even really enjoy. We are this child who doesn't listen when his mother calls. He knows he should go, but he chooses to disregard her voice because he is too busy with what he finds to be important. One thing he doesn't think about is the delicious piece of freshly baked apple pie in on the table waiting for him. His mother made it for him because she knows how much he loves apple pie.

See? Are we not like this child? Unfortunately, because we don't listen we miss out on the Lord's wonderful gifts and trade them in for a short-lived pleasure that is worth just about as much as a soupy mud pie.

As I become sad about the scandals and the Christians who have turned aside for lesser things, may I be reminded that I am just as easily tempted. May I seek to keep my gaze on the Almighty. I pray that I would never see myself as a better person.

If we are going to compare we might as well say that we are worse sinners than the rest, for we are all guilty and unworthy. May the Lord bless His children and lift their eyes to Himself. Let our feet stand in the path of righteousness.

Let His beauty fascinate us. He is so worth our attention and praise! May we gaze on Him, lest we fall.

"...The Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked with perish." Psalm 1