LEARNING DAILY

 

Proverbs 5:21, For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his paths.

 

This verse relates to the previous verses in Proverbs 5, which warn of sexual sins. I am going to broaden this warning to all the sinful things we do thinking no one knows them. This verse gives a great reason for a person to resist sexual sins and other sins – the Lord sees and knows our ungodly ways. The internet has certainly made watching ungodly “stuff” easy and because this “stuff” can be viewed in secret no one knows. But God is not fooled and will judge us accordingly. That takes away any reasoning we use to justify our actions.

 

Knowing that God sees and know all things is seen throughout Scripture. Genesis has many examples of this. For example, God knew where Adam and Eve were when they tried to hide from Him. He knew Cian killed his brother Abel. In Genesis 6, God saw that all people were evil and every thought in their heart was continually evil. Job knew that during his trials, God was with him. The Psalmist said in Psalm 139, that God searched his heart and knew everything about him and what he did.

 

What is this saying to us today? Each of us needs to carefully examine our own path; we are to evaluate what are doing, our actions and activities, and the decisions we make to be sure we are walking on the narrow way, that we are living the life that God demands from His followers. If you have walked on this narrow way for very long, you know that this is a lifelong journey that is based on faith, obedience, and the willingness to walk with the Lord based on His Word. You know what comes next – it is based on reading/studying, meditating on God’s Word and prayer. How else can one know what He demands for us as we walk the narrow way to eternal life in His kingdom. It is a narrow way and few are on it.

 

Let me encourage you with a few more ways according to scripture. Romans 12:1-2 tells us to present our body as a living sacrifice to the Lord’s will, no longer be conformed to the world, and to renew our mind every day (in His word). Romans 12:3 reminds us not to think so highly of ourselves. 1 Peter 4:10 tells us to use the gifts God has given us by faith and to serve others. Matthew 7:5 tells us not to be a hypocrite; take the log out of our own eye before judging others. Proverbs 8:13-25 reminds us to love others sincerely and actively, hate what is evil, and hold on tight to what is good. We are to live a godly life that brings honor and glory to our Lord at all times.

 

Each of us should desire to walk on the narrow way with the Lord in a way that develops our relationship with Him. We are to seek to know Him not just know about Him. We have to know and understand that is His desire as well. That is what we do when we read/study, meditate on God’s Word and pray! When we are focused on these disciplines God helps us to remove the things that displease Him. It has helped me tremendously to remember God sees and knows everything I do and say and think; I am so thankful He forgives when I mess up!