What’s the worst thing you’ve ever stepped in?
Well, let’s try to avoid discussions of the slimy, the smelly and the obvious, shall we? I’m pretty sure that my question has already created a great reminder in your mind, so let’s just leave it at that. But this morning we’re going to talk about watching your step, and what to do when you’ve already “stepped in it.”
But first, I want to say welcome to “Mornings with Bishop Robert.” My goal is to introduce you to the Jesus you never knew, and help you get to know Him and His word personally – and better ! If you enjoy our time together today, I’d appreciate it if you’d share it with a friend !
Today’s verse says MY EYES ARE EVER TOWARD THE LORD, FOR HE WILL PLUCK MY FEET OUT OF THE NET.
When you were thinking of the worst thing you’ve ever stepped in, I’ll be “a net” wasn’t even on your list! But let me put the question this way – Has anyone ever deliberately set a trap in your way? Because the word that is translated “net” comes from the Hebrew word for “a snare or a trap.” And that changes the equation. Sure, we need to be careful not to step in disgusting things as we walk about, but most of us are pretty good at that.
But the traps and snares of life are another story. Sometimes they can be hard to spot. They’re actually designed to look like something they are not!
A fisherman puts his bait on the hook for two reasons. First, he intends to attract the fish’s attention; use its senses to draw it close. But the bait also disguises the hook, the fish focuses on the bait and never sees the hook. Then it’s too late.
Snares and traps come in all shapes and sizes. Hooks, traps, snares … and sin. But in the end, they are all the same.
You and I each get tempted when our own evil desires notice the bait that our enemy has set out for us. He is trying to get our eyes on the bait, so he can lure us away from where we ought to be focused and entice us to “take a bite.” The bait doesn’t look like bait. It looks like something we may want to have, even if we shouldn’t. The enemy isn’t stupid. If the bait he’s using isn’t working, he’ll change it. He wants to use the bait to change ATTENTION into DESIRE. He wants you to want the bait.
We can’t let that happen to us. Because after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin. And sin is “stepping in it.” The problem is that one sin tends to lead to another, and another. That’s when the hook is set. I may have accidentally stepped into a pile of something nasty as I walked down the street, but I’ve never gone back and deliberately stepped in it over and over again. Maybe we need to apply the same logic we use with dog poop or chewing gum to the sin in our lives. Because sin gives birth to death every time. Game over.
But God speaks to us in His word; teaching us the way we should go and counseling us as He watches over us. Keeping our eyes on Him accomplishes lots of things all at once. You can’t look in front AND behind at the same time, so when your eyes are on Him you won’t have your eyes on the bait. And we always move in the direction our eyes are looking, so this gets us further and further away from the point of danger.
MY EYES ARE EVER TOWARD THE LORD, FOR HE WILL PLUCK MY FEET OUT OF THE NET
The second part of that verse comes into play because all of us have already “stepped in it,” we all have a sin problem. God loves us enough to take our foot out of the traps we’ve already stepped in, clean us up, and invite us to follow Him.
Ask God to pull your foot out of the trap. The worst thing you’ve ever stepped in can’t hold onto you when He releases you. Jesus will set you free. And all you’ve got to do is ask Him.
