Lord, Protect Our Eyes

In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem. One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness ) Then she went back home. The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.”  2 Samuel 11:1-5 

I grieve when we hear from someone whose spouse has fallen into the trap of sexual sin. I understand your shock and pain, never thinking or believing that you would ever have marriage problems.

David was known as “a man after God’s own heart.” God had chosen David when he was a young shepherd. The Lord was with David in a mighty way, as you may remember when David defeated the giant warrior, Goliath. But David took his eyes off of God and fell into sin.

As you reread 2 Samuel Chapter 11:1-5, see how David fell into sin. This is a warning that anyone can fall into sin if we are not alert, for the roaring lion is roaming around, waiting to devour each of us.

Let us do a brief anatomy of adultery.

1. 1. Your eyes start to notice things you should not see.
   2. Your mind takes in what you have been looking at, for example, pornography or the wrong sort of television programs or movies.
   3. You start being attracted to someone other than your spouse, and you start thinking of scenarios with that person and having fantasies. Then, you have an innocent encounter that turns into flirtation, lust, and adultery. It all started with the eyes first.
      

Remember all that God’s Word says about the lust of the flesh and the lust of our eyes.

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.  1 John 2:15-17 

David’s tragic sin and fall should never have happened. He should have gone to war, but instead, he became a soft-hearted king who had lost his first love for God and obeying His commands. David started sinning when he asked for someone to find out who the woman was, and he allowed his eyes to lust upon another woman.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”  Matthew 5:27-30 

God instructs His children throughout His Word. God gave instructions to Noah on how to build an ark and Nehemiah on how to rebuild the Jerusalem wall, and He gave you instructions on how to stand firm in the Lord for the restoration of your marriage. We must remain faithful to our Lord God in all circumstances. Do not allow your eyes to start sinning. That is when your heart can become hardened and calloused regarding God’s will in your marriage restoration. Is that not what happened to your spouse?

“Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit…”  Ezekiel 18:30-31 

I beg you not to give up on your marriage. It does not matter that your spouse has allowed their eyes to sin, but that God can bring them back from their sinful nature and from the far country of living in sin. There is hope for your hurting or dead marriage through the power of our Lord and Savior.

Lord, protect my spouse’s and my eyes. Lord, touch all the prodigals’ hearts to fear the Lord and run from their evil ways quickly. We will give You all the glory and praise when marriages are rescued from the enemy’s trap and restored. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.  Proverbs 3:5-7 

God bless,