Another devotion to share... The First Desperate Housewife

By Micca Campbell

Genesis 39:7 “And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, ‘Lie with me.’” (KJV)

Devotion: I admit it. I used to be a Soap fan when I was a teenager. Lured by the romance and drama, I assumed real life as an adult would play out in the same fashion. Boy, was I wrong! While there’s plenty of drama in my life, romance is something that has to be scheduled most of the time. Real life isn’t like what we see on TV or read about in romance novels. In fact, these images can be dangerous to both single and married people alike. When our ideas about life leave us dissatisfied, we can easily be tempted to look at other options. Soap operas, pornography and romance novels encourage risky behavior that can lead to sin. Often married people convince themselves that just looking or dreaming about being with someone other than their spouse is okay as long as they don’t actually do anything about it. Likewise, some single people feel that they can lust after another as long as they remain “physically pure.”

Jesus said, “’But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart’” (Matthew 5:28 NIV).

That goes for us gals, too. I imagine that Potiphar’s wife could be described as the “first desperate housewife.” She didn’t have TV or a romance novel to read. She had something better, Joseph. He was the head workman in charge who conveniently lived in her home and was pleasing to her sight. Unknown to Joseph, he was about to become the prey of a desperate housewife. This Egyptian woman didn’t happen to notice Joseph one day and then on the spur of the moment, ask Joseph to lie down with her. No. Our key verse tells us she “cast her eyes upon Joseph” and spoke with him day after day. In other words, she watched him, she flirted with him, and she dreamed about him until her sinful thoughts led to action. Her husband ought to have been to her a “covering of the eyes” from all others. Instead, with the lust in her heart, she was daring and shameless in her sin. How do we keep from falling into such sin? We should follow Job’s example. "’I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl [or boy]’” (Job 31:1).

We each have a great need and responsibility to make a covenant with our eyes. Remember that children’s song often sang in Sunday school ... “Be careful little eyes what you see? Oh, be careful little eyes what you see. For the Father up above is looking down in love. Oh, be careful little eyes what you see. ”We can protect our eyes by choosing not to watch movies, pornography or TV shows that glamorize sexuality and can lead us into temptation. Our own husbands should be the covering of our eyes that protect us from looking at others. Besides, the grass is not always greener on the other side. I also realize that we are human and we make mistakes. No one is perfect this side of heaven. That’s why it’s so important to be on guard. Another way to safe guard ourselves is to commit to taking hold of any lustful thoughts and quickly put them out of our minds. Temptation is not a sin. It’s when we dwell on the temptation that we are led to sinful actions. Don’t be like Potiphar’s wife. Ask God to give you “eyes” for the spouse you already have.


Dear Lord, Forgive me for where I have fallen short. I commit to You today to take every lustful thought captive so that it doesn’t lead me into sin. May all my thoughts be pleasing to You, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.


Related Resources:
What a Husband Needs from His Wife by Melanie Chitwood
Becoming the Woman of His Dreams by Sharon Jaynes
Blessing Your Husband by Debra Evans (I added this one because a friend read it and shared some of it and it looks like a great book!)

Application Steps: If you are having trouble in this area, find a trustworthy accountability partner who you can share honestly with about your struggles. Agree to hold each other accountable to God’s truths and to pray for one another. When these thoughts enter your mind, turn to God’s Word, prayer and your accountability partner.

Reflections: In what ways can you protect your eyes from lustful images? Practice thinking on what is true, right and pure. Are you addicted to soap operas or romance novels? If so, what steps will you take today to move away from this stronghold in your life?
Power Verses: 2 Corinthians 10:5, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (NIV) Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.” (NIV)

Some of you know, some of you don't, that my marriage has been impacted this year with the issues spoke about in this devotion. What started out as an innocent visit to a WWE website very quickly turned into a pornography addiction. It took less than three months. It went from once a week to every day. It went from two websites to hundreds. In less than three months. It is so important for all of us to guard our hearts and our eyes. Thoughts in your head can quickly turn into actions and soon you are looking back at you life wondering what happened. We were fortunate that God loves us enough to put an end to this addiction in an abrupt and immediate way. He slapped Rich with a DIU, which lead me to reach out to a friend for help, who told me what to do to handle my fears about the DUI, which lead to a confession from my husband about what I would find on his computer. We are fortunate that God loves us and cares about our marriage so much that he stopped Rich before his addiction could turn into something physical. Rich knew he needed to stop, he tried, but he couldn't do it on his own, and he was to ashamed to reach out and ask for help. God knew. God helped.

If you are reading this right now thinking ‘oh that would NEVER happen to me, my husband loves me, we have a great marriage’, please do not think that something like this cannot happen to you. I thought that my marriage was rock solid. I thought that I was the only woman that my husband had eyes for. I thought that God invested so much time building my marriage over the past two years that he would protect it from harm. It can happen to your marriage.

I am still working through the hurts. We are still in counseling. I found a lot of help and information in the book I Surrender All: Rebuilding A Marriage Broken by Pornography by Clay and Renee Crosse. This book is amazing and has helped me a lot. Here is their site... http://www.holyhomes.org/default.aspx

Something so simple as a thought can ruin your marriage. You could wake up and find a fatherless home, a child’s broken heart, your dreams gone. Guard your hearts.