Spurgeon’s Morning & Evening Devotions

Morning, July 25

"He left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him
out." – Genesis 39:12

In contending with certain sins there remains no mode of victory but
by flight. The ancient naturalists wrote much of basilisks, whose eyes
fascinated their victims and rendered them easy victims; so the mere
gaze of wickedness puts us in solemn danger. He who would be safe from
acts of evil must haste away from occasions of it.

A covenant must be made with our eyes not even to look upon the
cause of temptation, for such sins only need a spark to begin with and a
blaze follows in an instant. Who would wantonly enter the leper’s prison
and sleep amid its horrible corruption? He only who desires to be
leprous himself would thus court contagion. If the mariner knew how to
avoid a storm, he would do anything rather than run the risk of
weathering it.

Cautious pilots have no desire to try how near the quicksand they
can sail, or how often they may touch a rock without springing a leak;
their aim is to keep as nearly as possible in the midst of a safe
channel.

This day I may be exposed to great peril, let me have the serpent’s
wisdom to keep out of it and avoid it. The wings of a dove may be of
more use to me to-day than the jaws of a lion. It is true I may be an
apparent loser by declining evil company, but I had better leave my
cloak than lose my character; it is not needful that I should be rich,
but it is imperative upon me to be pure.

No ties of friendship, no chains of beauty, no flashings of talent,
no shafts of ridicule must turn me from the wise resolve to flee from
sin. The devil I am to resist and he will flee from me, but the lusts of
the flesh, I must flee, or they will surely overcome me. O God of
holiness preserve thy Josephs, that Madam Bubble bewitch them not with
her vile suggestions.

May the horrible trinity of the world, the flesh, and the devil,
never overcome us!