“Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall… But the path of the just is as a shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day” (KJV, Prov. 4:14-16, 18).
“Enter not into the path of the wicked”
Father, I thank You for the guidance that You have given me in Your Word. I thank You that You have been so gracious to me as to show me how I ought to live. I thank You that although I was once lost, I have been found.
I see that there was a time in which I would have been declared “wicked.” I thank You for not allowing me to stay there and for rescuing me out of that place. Although I was once classified as wicked, I also see that there is a strong desire that You have for me not to go back to where and to what I was.
Your Word makes it clear that the path of the wicked is not to be walked in. The psalmist tells me in Psalm 1 that I must not walk, stand, or sit in the way of the wicked. Here in Proverbs 4, I see that I am told not to enter into the path of the wicked.
I am able to see that I must not even step upon it. You tell me that it is not just the path that is to be avoided, but also the entrance. Please, Lord, guard my heart and guard my feet.
“and go not in the way of evil men”
I see during the days of the Israelites a people who were told to separate themselves from the surrounding pagan nations. They were to drive out the enemy and set up a dwelling place for themselves without any outside influences so that they would be totally influenced by You.
Now, I see in the New Testament that the Christian is thrown into the midst of it all. There is not a safe dwelling place that is being established like what was intended with the nation of Israel.
Nevertheless, You still desire that I remain pure, clean, and holy and that I would separate myself from the darkness. You tell me not to go in the way of evil men, and yet again, I pray that You would guard my heart and guard my steps.
“Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away”
Your Word is full of insight, and it is surely a lamp to my feet. It will certainly illuminate my path. First off, You tell me to avoid the path of the wicked and evil man. I must recognize when evil is taking place and where evil is taking place, and I must avoid it.
Please help me to submit to Your will in this area. I recognize that I do not like having restrictions placed over my life. I also see that there are times when I can compromise and not avoid people and places that I should. Please, Lord, establish my heart in this area and help me to live for You.
Second, You tell me that I must pass by it. In the event that I happen to see things taking place that must not be done, I pray that You would give me strength to simply pass by. Lead me not into temptation, Lord, and deliver me from evil.
Third, You tell me to turn from it. Here, I see a more forceful position in regards to the wicked than merely passing by. Your Word tells me that I must turn from it. I must go the other direction intentionally.
Finally, You tell me to pass away. Lord, strengthen me to do Your will and help me to live for Your glory. Your ways are good, and I pray that You would give me the courage to walk in them.
“For they sleep not, except they have done mischief”
The depths of the depravity of man are sad to see. There is a way in which the wicked are constantly plotting wickedness. I pray that Your kingdom would come, Lord, and that Your will would be done. I pray that You would guard my heart from such wickedness and keep me close to You.
I am amazed to see that when Christ said someone would betray Him at the last supper, His disciples did not say, “I would never do that!” Instead, they said, “Is it I, Lord?” It is as though they saw within their hearts their tendency to betray Christ and spurn His ways.
But, Lord, You are a good God, and it is those with wicked hearts that You came to save. Thank You for coming to meet me where I was and for rescuing me from plotting mischief.
“and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall”
I also pray that I would not desire that others would fall. I pray that I would not be a stumbling block – or place a stumbling block – in front of others. Paul gave much instruction on this matter, and I pray that I would take heed to his instruction.
I pray that You would guard me from the desires of the wicked. In this verse, I also see the works of the enemy. Satan desires that I would fall. Satan came to steal, kill, and destroy. I pray that You would guard me from the evil one.
“But the path of the just is as a shining light”
Lord, You are just, and Your ways are good. You always do right – even if I do not understand what You are doing. Sometimes I might question Your ways, but who am I but one who has been created from the dust of the earth?
I pray that I would stay upon the good path. Teach me to walk upon the good path. You tell me in Your Word that Your Word will show me where to walk and how to walk. When things get dark, Your Word will be a light for me.
I pray that You would help me to set aside time each day to read Your Word and seek Your face. I will not be able to stay upon the right path without Your help and Your grace.
I see in Christ One Who is ready to help and mighty to save. I see In Christ One Who walked the path perfectly. Help me to walk as Christ walked and to walk where Christ walked. I see that there is sweet fellowship along the path, and when I walk it, I will not walk it alone. I need not fear the challenges that come along the path, Lord God, for You are with me.
I also see that as I walk the right path, I will be a light in a dark world. Christ has told me that He has called me to be both salt on the earth and a light in the midst of darkness. I pray that You would help me to fulfill my calling.
“that shineth more and more unto the perfect day”
Lord, You tell me in this verse that when I walk upon the path, I will not only shine, but that I will also shine brighter the more I walk upon the path. The world is lost and in need of Your help. You have also told me that You desire to use me as Your ambassador.
I pray that I would continually walk the path and that You would use me as I walk the path for Your glory. I pray that my Christian witness would be glorifying to You and pleasing in Your sight.
Please, Lord, would You allow the light of Christ to shine through me? I know that I do not have light in and of myself. Your Word tells me that You are light and the Creator of light. Please let Your light shine in my life that others might see my good works and glorify You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.