Inspiration by E-Mail

Inspiration by E-Mail for the Week of May 13, 2012

WORTHLESS THINGS

Incline my heart to Your testimonies,

And not to covetousness.

Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things,

And revive me in Your way.

(Psalm 119:36-37)

The composer of the great Psalm 119 knew something about himself specifically and human nature in general. He knew that covetousness is a threat to walking in God’s way. Therefore he prayed, “Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to covetousness.” A heart inclined towards God’s word would help him be satisfied in what God provides.

The Bible tells us how covetousness has ruined many people.

- Balaam sold out God’s people and his own soul for covetousness (Numbers 22, 2 Peter 2:14-16)

- Ahab murdered for covetousness (1 Kings 21:1-13)

- David committed adultery and murder because he coveted (2 Samuel 6:2-17)

- Achan stole and brought Israel to defeat by covetousness (Joshua 7:21)

Judas stole from his fellow disciples and betrayed Jesus for covetousness (John 12:6 and Matthew 26:14-16)

- Gehazi lied for the sake of covetousness (2 Kings 5:20-26)

- Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit out of covetousness (Acts 5:1-8)

The Psalmist also knew that one way to fight against covetousness is to keep one’s eyes on the Lord and away from worthless things. So he prayed, “Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things.” It’s true that some things, comparatively speaking, are worthless things. They are of no value for eternity and little value for the present age. He prayed that God would empower and enable him to turn away his eyes and attention from such things.

Many lives are wasted because people find themselves unwilling or unable to turn away their eyes from worthless things. The modern world with its media and entertainment technology brings before us an endless river of worthless things to occupy not only our eyes and time, but also our heart and minds.

Some things are clearly worthless; some things are thought by many to be worthy, but are in fact worthless.

- Worthless because they do no good.

- Worthless because they do not last.

- Worthless because they help no one else.

- Worthless because they build no faith, hope, or love.

- Worthless because they distract from things that are truly worthy.

- Worthless because they have nothing to do with Jesus.

Like many of us, he Psalmist understood that he had a natural tendency towards worthless things, so he prayed for that natural tendency to be counter-acted. Yet the eyes are so powerful that the Psalmist had to pray; pray for power outside himself to turn his eyes from worthless things. Did he have no eyelids? No muscles in his neck to turn the head? Yet we all sympathize with this prayer; the eyes are so small – yet they can lead the whole person, and often lead to destruction. This is because the eyes lead the heart, lead the mind, and can lead the whole person.

He did not gouge out his own eyes or pray God to do it; instead he wanted to look another way, a better way. The best way to look away from sin is to look at something else.

He then prayed another prayer for revival: “And revive me in Your way.” He wanted to be made alive again in the way (or path) of God. The Psalmist wanted to walk in God’s way, and to do it with a revived heart. He prayed for deadness in one direction – towards worthless things, and for life in another direction – towards God’s way.

That’s worthy, not worthless.

By David Guzik

David is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara

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