Watch Your Desires!

King David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and David’s son Amnon was infatuated with her. Amnon was frustrated to the point of making himself sick over her. Tamar was a virgin.

Now, instead of shaking the thought off and moving on to productive things, Ammon found himself taking counsel from someone he shouldn’t have. Amnon had a friend named Jonadab who was as perverse as he (Amnon) was becoming. He advised the king’s son saying, “lie down on your bed and pretend you’re sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me something to eat.'”

The Bible records that when Tamar had finished making the food and had taken it to him in bed, because he was stronger than she was, he raped her. However, after this, Amnon hated Tamar much intensely than he had loved her before.

Many times we would rather sacrifice great relationships for temporary gains. We would betray friends to gain promotions. We would focus all our time and efforts at work than the family that stays by us in our dark moments. More so, we would rather chase after sin to fulfill temporary pleasures than stick to God. One day, we may realize that rather than love, we hate most the things we thought we so loved and would die for.

So the writer of the book of Ecclesiastes rightly puts it as; “Meaningless! Meaningless and Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless” (Eccl. 1: 2). “Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control” (Prov 25: 28). The only way to avoid this trap is to seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto us.

Begin to pray now. Set your affection on things above and not beneath. Ask for grace to “flee youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart” (2 Tim 2: 22). Do not love anything more than God. In Him, we can love better those things that have eternal value.