The patriarch Job said, ‘I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman’ (Job 31:1 NLT). Job couldn’t control his environment and its temptations any more than we can. Still, we can learn a valuable lesson from Job’s words. A covenant is a promise made in good faith with the intention of keeping it. It’s a step of faith you commit to before you know what circumstances you will encounter, not unlike a marriage covenant. The Bible tells us, ‘The just shall live by faith’ (Romans 1:17 KJV), not by our own efforts. Faith is based on God’s revealed will, and our part is agreeing with God’s will with the understanding that only by His power can we fulfil our vow. Our selfish nature militates against keeping God’s commandments; that’s why everything we need to succeed is ours because of the Holy Spirit who indwells us. If you wait until you feel strong enough to honour your covenant with God, it will never happen. But if you make it by faith, recognising your own weakness, the Holy Spirit will provide the strength you need to keep it! His covenant, made by faith, enabled Job to say, I will ‘not…look lustfully at a young woman’ (Job 31:1 NIV). But isn’t it better not to make a covenant than to make one and break it? No, because all our failures are covered by Christ’s blood. ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us…and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness’ (1 John 1:9 KJV). Repentance brings forgiveness and a fresh start!
