Wednesday, May 21’s devotional. “The sorrows of those who take another god for themselves will multiply” (Psalm 16:4). David doesn’t speak here about external enemies or suffering inflicted from outside. Instead, he writes of a deeper, more dangerous enemy—our tendency to chase after lesser gods. As Jeff said, “The pull that is within me to run after other gods—God, preserve me from that.” This plea isn’t just about idolatry in the ancient sense of carved images but about anything we chase as a source of ultimate pleasure apart from God.
We all seek pleasure—it’s hardwired into our souls. And that’s not wrong. Jeff reminded us, “You should pursue pleasure… but what is your pleasure?” The tragedy is not that we want too much, but that we settle for far too little. We make mud pies in the slums when a holiday at the sea is offered. We pursue comfort, sex, ambition, or ease, expecting them to deliver joy—but they leave us emptier than before. As David knew through bitter experience—lust, deceit, and murder brought him a heavy price—the pleasures we seek apart from God inevitably multiply our sorrows.
“But the lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance” (Psalm 16:6). David had learned that the boundaries God sets are not prison bars but fences around a garden of joy. Jeff put it this way: “The boundaries of integrity, sexuality, and truth—these serve not to kill our joy but to preserve it.” What God gives may seem narrow in a culture that idolizes freedom without limits, but true joy thrives within God’s good design. Like David, we must be able to say, “You are my chosen portion and my cup” (v.5). Satisfaction is not found in pushing the limits but in receiving what God has given with delight.
When tempted by other gods—when the pull of sinful or simply lesser pleasures tugs at our hearts—our prayer must echo David’s: “Preserve me.” Preserve me from believing the lie that more is better, or that pleasure lies beyond Your will. Jeff encouraged us not to face temptation with mere discipline but with redirection: “Say yes, that would be a passing pleasure of sin, but here in the Lord is joy.” Seek satisfaction in the Lord, and you’ll find not just safety, but delight.
Prayer:
Father, preserve me from the lies of lesser gods. When I feel the pull toward pleasures that can never satisfy, turn my heart back to You. Help me to see that in You alone are fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore. Thank You for drawing the boundary lines of my life in pleasant places. Give me eyes to see Your goodness and a heart that delights in Your will. You are my portion, Lord. Keep me close to You. Amen.
Watch the sermon here.
This devotional content is not penned by the preacher. It is derived from the sermon notes. We aim to provide bite-sized reflections throughout the week for devotion and reflection.