Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men who work iniquity; and do not let me eat of their delicacies. Psalm 141:4
Being a part of the crowd is common for most people. No one wants to be set apart as different, but to blend in with everyone else and be a part of what everyone else is doing, thinking or saying. The world does not have a solid foundation of what is right or wrong, everything is pleasure in the moment, which is what most people desire for themselves whatever it takes.
David asks God to help him not incline his heart to evil, to practice wicked actions with people who do wicked. He also asks that he will not be allowed to eat of their delicacies.
The world does not have a true sense of what is right and wrong. Moral standards change from moment to moment according to how a person feels. With this type of thinking and standard, wicked and evil actions are promoted and practiced on a regular basis.
It is easy for a person to choose to follow the crowd. In doing so, many believers participate in evil actions being promoted by the world. Drunkenness, drugs, gossip, immoral sex, violence, cursing, lies and much more are often practiced right alongside the world. If not practiced, many will watch or listen to those things as good.
Their hearts lean towards evil and they eat of those delights.
Instead of inclining towards evil, believers should be fleeing the other direction. Focus should be placed on God and what He desires. Holiness, righteousness and purity should be the heart’s desire of every believer, not how close one can get to evil and sin with or without sinning.
The world will try to draw you into its evil practices. It will lay out delicacies of sin that look good on the outside and may appeal to your desires. Seek God to turn your heart towards Him. Put your focus upon being as Jesus is, pure, holy and righteous before God and man. Refuse to participate in the sinful acts of this world in any way, by speaking, thinking or action of evil and wicked things. The more you incline and lean on God, the more you will fall upon Him and His ways and not the evil ways of this fallen world.
Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will lean your heart towards God; that God will reveal the wicked works the world is enticing you with; that God will give you strength to reject the evil of this world; and that you will be holy and righteous before God in all you think, say or do.
Picture by Darryl Brooks on Unsplash
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