In preparing for the October series, 31 Days of Journaling through the Psalms, I spent time this week in Psalm 17. The last verse has always been a personal favorite. When I slowed down to journal, the connection to the previous verses made itself clear. Verses 13-15 are actually a contrast.

David’s dream VS the American dream

David writes often of his enemies, asking God to overcome them on his behalf. But here, the description of his enemy is a bit odd. It’s as if David is against the American dream. He asks to be delivered from men who find satisfaction in the things of this life: treasure, children, a legacy to leave behind. In contrast, David’s desire is to be satisfied in the Lord.

David understood the ease of letting our eyes wander. It is as if he looked at the men around him, saw they were settling for earthly treasure, and knew he needed to fight the same temptation. He also knew he needed help. He calls on God to draw His sword and fight for him.

Our treasure and our hearts are inseparable

I wish I could always say I only have eyes for Jesus, but it isn’t true. My eyes quite often stray to cute shoes, cozy cottages, and European vacations. My eyes even become nearsighted at times—taking their focus off God’s plan for the Gospel and hyper focusing on my dreams and to-do list.

More times than I care to admit, the center of my universe shifts away from God and becomes all about me. My thoughts reveal my true love is myself. I may be doing the right things or saying the right things, but God sees the truth.

I remember a time in college, during the winter months, sitting outside talking to a man I was completely enamored with, not noticing the cold at all. Back at the dorm, my face was red and my hands ached from the winter air, but just a few minutes before, all I needed to stay warm was to look into the eyes of the one I loved.

It may be a silly comparison, but that is what our relationships with Jesus should be like. A love affair making all other temptations fade away. A Savior we are willing to give our lives for without question.

Battle readiness requires a change in focus

The danger with the American dream is it desensitizes us to the Spirit’s leading and the mission of the Gospel. Having nice things is not a sin, but when possessions or people take our focus away from the spiritual battle we are engaged in daily, we become open to attack from the enemy.

David understood the fight against complacency needs to be a proactive one. We must root out the tendrils of covetousness in our hearts and actively fight to keep our eyes on Jesus. It may mean shortening our time on Pinterest or putting down our phones for a day. It may even mean ending a relationship we know is distracting us from God. Whatever we have to do to keep our hearts centered on Jesus is a battle worthy of our effort.

Soldiers never go into battle alone. I encourage you to link arms with your spiritual sisters and help each other in this fight for pure hearts and eyes. If you have found ways that have kept your heart focused in times of temptation, please share them in the comments below! I’d love to hear from you.