On Guard – The Seventh Commandment

On Guard

Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18

“You shall not commit adultery.”

Ephesians 5:15-17

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of your time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Don’t linger where it smells bad.

Recently Susie and I drove to Richmond for a brief visit with our kids and grandkids. The route there took us along several back roads in central Virginia. We were surprised at the number of dead skunks we saw along the roadside – must have been over a dozen of them. And, of course, where there’s a dead skunk, there’s that overpowering skunk smell. Our dog once got sprayed by a skunk. Seems she got a little too close for comfort. It took a long time to get that smell out of her coat. The air was not a little unpleasant in places along those roads. Happily, though, we were just passing through. We did not feel in the least inclined to pull over the side of the road and have a closer look at what was stinking up the place. That rotten smell of adultery you sense in the air of our contemporary culture? Just keep moving.

Pray

Lord, make me strong to resist every temptation of adultery in all its forms. Let me be an example of sexual and spiritual purity to all who know me.

—

“In the Gates” is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001,2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Editor’s note: The use of a translation other than the Authorised Version in an article does not constitute an endorsement in whole or in part by The Christian Observer.