lust vs love: One Year Bible Reading for August 29

Today we read from these verses in the One Year Bible:

Job 31:1-33:33
2 Corinthians 3:1-18
Psalm 43:1-5
Proverbs 22:8-9

Let's look at Job. The very first line is something that EVERYONE TODAY needs to memorize and practice. "I have made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman." Of course, the last two words are not LIMITED to young women. It's not like you are allowed to lust over cougars.  But lust is a real problem today. A HUGE problem. The ease with which you can open your web browser and instantly have incredibly beautiful people naked on your screen is a temptation that many people suffer from today, and not just men. The very talented singer Billie Eilish has made it public that she struggled with a serious porn addiction for many years. 

Our society tells us many lies. One is that "love is love", meaning that it's fine for you to be sexually attracted to anyone you want and to act on that attraction. Another is that LUST is love. If you look at the two lists above, it's helpful to learn the difference between love and lust. It can be confusing, because when you're in love with someone, you're attracted to them sexually AND you love them with your heart. But look at the lists and it helps you see if you're ACTING from a loving motivation or a lustful one.

the Bible makes it clear: we are only to have sexual relations with the person to whom we are married. All single people must remain abstinate. And married people can ONLY be with their spouse. It's both a blessing and a burden, our sexuality. And it makes carrying that burden much easier if we follow Job's advice and don't even LOOK at people lustfully. 

God, thanks for teaching us to be sexually pure. Please help us to learn to carry that burden and enjoy that blessing.