The Apple of the Eye!

Reflection: Today marks the third day the Proverbs start out with some kind of admonition for the son to remember these words and bind them on his fingers and guard them as the “apple of his eye”.  The application of these words of wisdom will keep you from the wayward prostitute and her seductive words.  It makes sense that Solomon, who was over indulgent with his many wives, and also his father David, whose “Achilles’ Heel” was his adultery with Bathsheba, would talk about the dangers of unfaithfulness and infidelity and the road it leads to. 

As we read in the Song of Solomon, part of the metaphor of prostitution is not always just literal but the idea of being enticed to run to other gods when we are tempted.  The seductive words are really any temptation from our adversary, the evil one, who works mostly on our minds to seduce into bad thinking.  At the core of any temptation is a bad idea, and at the heart of any sinful behavior is buying into that bad idea and acting on it.  As we might say, “I lost my head!”  You notice at the root on any sin is not trusting in God’s wisdom, but acting on a foolish idea usually in a compulsive manner.  As the old adage which prevails in modern thinking, “If it feels good do it!”  Of course, the problem with this is the consequences of a life time of just doing what feels good for immediate satisfaction. 

It is not as if God is against pleasure.  God created good things for us to enjoy within the boundaries he has set out for us by his wisdom.  Take food, for example.  This is the most basic need for us as humans, and gives us great pleasure to eat things we like.  And, of course, in moderation it is all fine and good until we become addicted to it, and can’t stop eating.  Now food becomes a health risk and we see obesity reigns in our kids because of things loaded with sugar.  I have to admit I give into this all too readily with my own kids.  While it may seem like a simple illustration one of the most crucial elements of discipleship is learning to regard our body as a temple of God.

As our body submits to a mind that has been set on Christ, who is seated at the right hand of God, we can be renewed as Paul calls this process our spiritual act of worship in Romans 12.  As you store up God’s commands, which are life-giving, and bind them to other parts of your body so you can be reminded of them often, when temptation comes as it most certainly will, you will be able to say what Jesus did when he was being tempted, “As it is written…”  And, “Get behind me Satan for it is written…” As God’s Word is the apple of our eye, the other stuff will just start to be unappealing to us as we see it for what is really is and the seductive words will lost their power!  Amen.    

Psalm 64

1 Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint;

    protect my life from the threat of the enemy.

2 Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,

    from the plots of evildoers.

3 They sharpen their tongues like swords

    and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.

4 They shoot from ambush at the innocent;

    they shoot suddenly, without fear.

5 They encourage each other in evil plans,

    they talk about hiding their snares;

    they say, “Who will see it[b]?”

6 They plot injustice and say,

    “We have devised a perfect plan!”

    Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.

7 But God will shoot them with his arrows;

    they will suddenly be struck down.

8 He will turn their own tongues against them

    and bring them to ruin;

    all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.

9 All people will fear;

    they will proclaim the works of God

    and ponder what he has done.

10 The righteous will rejoice in the Lord

    and take refuge in him;

    all the upright in heart will glory in him!

Proverbs 7

Warning Against the Adulterous Woman

7 My son, keep my words

    and store up my commands within you.

2 Keep my commands and you will live;

    guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.

3 Bind them on your fingers;

    write them on the tablet of your heart.

4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”

    and to insight, “You are my relative.”

5 They will keep you from the adulterous woman,

    from the wayward woman with her seductive words.

6 At the window of my house

    I looked down through the lattice.

7 I saw among the simple,

    I noticed among the young men,

    a youth who had no sense.

8 He was going down the street near her corner,

    walking along in the direction of her house

9 at twilight, as the day was fading,

    as the dark of night set in.

10 Then out came a woman to meet him,

    dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.

11 (She is unruly and defiant,

    her feet never stay at home;

12 now in the street, now in the squares,

    at every corner she lurks.)

13 She took hold of him and kissed him

    and with a brazen face she said:

14 “Today I fulfilled my vows,

    and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.

15 So I came out to meet you;

    I looked for you and have found you!

16 I have covered my bed

    with colored linens from Egypt.

17 I have perfumed my bed

    with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.

18 Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;

    let’s enjoy ourselves with love!

19 My husband is not at home;

    he has gone on a long journey.

20 He took his purse filled with money

    and will not be home till full moon.”

21 With persuasive words she led him astray;

    she seduced him with her smooth talk.

22 All at once he followed her

    like an ox going to the slaughter,

like a deer stepping into a noose

23     till an arrow pierces his liver,

like a bird darting into a snare,

    little knowing it will cost him his life.

24 Now then, my sons, listen to me;

    pay attention to what I say.

25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways

    or stray into her paths.

26 Many are the victims she has brought down;

    her slain are a mighty throng.

27 Her house is a highway to the grave,

    leading down to the chambers of death.

1 Corinthians 14:20-35

20 Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. 21 In the Law it is written:

“With other tongues

    and through the lips of foreigners

I will speak to this people,

    but even then they will not listen to me,

says the Lord.”

22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25 as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”

Good Order in Worship

26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.

29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.

34 Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.

You have been just in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly. Nehemiah 9:33

If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Forgive us, dear Father, for continually disappointing you. The good that we know to do we have not done, and in all our actions we have fallen short of your glory. We humbly pray for forgiveness in Jesus’ name. Amen.