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3/17 Reading Portions: Exodus 28; John 7; Proverbs 4; Galatians 3
Proverbs 4:25
Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.
STRAIGHT
The world is full of kooks, to be sure. There are men out there who will twist Scripture in all kinds of strange ways. Because of my propensity toward preaching Christ always, no matter what portion of Scripture I happen to be preaching from, I realize there are others who would caution that I don’t fall into the trap of trying to “find Christ where He isn’t” or “impugn Christ’s character through misspeaking.” A pastor in the U.S. “Bible Belt” took umbrage with my method of preaching. I told him I understood his concern, but then I asked him, “When are we ever allowed to take our eyes of faith off of Christ?” This portion of Proverbs, from verses twenty to twenty-seven, are quite interesting if we read them as Jesus Christ speaking unto us as very God, as well as He, Himself, being the object of our faith to carry out these instructions. In the twentieth verse, we are to be attentive to His words and to incline our ears to His sayings. Moreover, in the twenty-first verse, we are not to let them escape from our “sight.” Our walk of faith is not one of physical sight, but spiritual (2 Cor 5:7). The eyes of our faith are to look directly forward to the One who has saved us by His grace. The gaze of our faith must be straight upon Jesus, our Lord. His latter command to us is to “turn your foot away from evil” (Prov 4:27b). This is miraculously and supernaturally accomplished when we, by God’s grace through faith, fulfill the former command:
“Do not swerve to the right or to the left.” Proverbs 4:27a
We are to keep our eyes straight, directly upon Christ, not swerving our gaze to the right or to the left, as yesterday’s portion in Proverbs tells us:
“In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:6
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
You trust in Christ? Then look to Christ
With grace-fill’d, faithful eyes;
He’ll make straight paths to follow Him
As one both just and wise.