I can’t remember when I first heard it, but the saying goes something like this. "Don’t go looking for trouble. It will find you." I look at my own spiritual journey and feel like too often I have indeed gone looking for trouble. There are now essentially zero limits on the access to information and entertainment in our culture. Everything, good and evil, is as close as the click of a mouse. Strange days indeed.
In my journey through the Bible this year I came to Psalm 101 last week and it cut me to the quick. David pours his heart out to the Lord:
1 I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O Lord, I will make music.
2 I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house;
3 I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.
4 A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil.
5 Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure.
6 I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me.
7 No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes.
8 Morning by morning I will destroy all the wicked in the land, cutting off all the evildoers from the city of the Lord. Psalm 101:1-8 (ESV)
Do you hear the yearning in his words? David wanted to be in the Lord’s presence: to sing His praises, to ponder His blamelessness, to walk in integrity, and to fellowship with other faithful people. And the headquarters of this worship experience? Verse two says, “within my house.” David wanted righteousness to reign in his home. That is what I want! I know that at my best moments when I am living in the way that brings God the greatest pleasure, that is what is beating in my heart: make this home an embassy of heaven!
Yet we know that in a moment of passion, David failed (2 Samuel 11). The very moment that he stopped pondering the way that was blameless, he began exploring the pathway to wickedness. All it took was a season of laziness. All it took was a second look. I have seen what lies at the end of that path. You and your family really do not want to go there.
David forgot his own advice—“morning by morning” cut off the access to evil in your life, and plug into the presence of God. Get the Internet filter that will eliminate the threat of pornography on your computer (I recommend Open DNS). Reserve the close friendships in your life for people who are passionate for God. And above all, practice God’s presence. Feed the spirit. Starve the flesh. Trouble is lurking.
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