Don't Be Led Astray

Daily Reading: Matthew 24

Scripture Focus: See that no one leads you astray. (Matthew 24.4)

Devotional Thought: Stan, a friend of mine, asked me if I knew about his recent accident. I did not, and I was prepared to hear about a minor 'fender bender.' Stan told me that he had had to replace his car (only a few months old) with a brand new car. I suddenly sat up: "What happened?!" Stan had been driving along a four lane highway when a car pulled through the intersection ahead of him - close, but not alarming. However, another car followed the first one, and Stan T-boned it! Miraculously nobody was hurt (which explains why I hadn't heard about it.) The cause? They concluded that the other driver had simply followed the first car into the intersection. She had been led astray.

In Matthew 24, Jesus warned us that we must be careful that no one lead us astray. Satan, using 'false prophets', will tell us lies and try to convince us that there is another, a better, way. We are responsible to recognize the dangers and "turn away from evil and do good" (1 Peter 3.11). Sometimes we follow others into the intersections of life - good people, family and friends. Forgetting to fix our eyes on Jesus, we find ourselves off course and we may even crash, putting ourselves and others in grave danger.

How are we to prevent being led astray? First and foremost, we must know the Word of God. It is "a lamp unto our feet and light unto our path" (Psalm 119.105). Then, we must be aware of our surroundings. It is easy to fall in line with our culture and begin to adopt the ways of this world. Finally, do everything in love.

See to it that no one leads you astray!

Prayer: Lord, today I will encounter things that lead me astray. Help me to make my decisions and set my course based on your Word and your love. Amen.

Psalm of the Day: 5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! 6 For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD? Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD, 7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him? 8 O LORD God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O LORD, with your faithfulness all around you? 9 You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. 10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. 11 The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them. 12 The north and the south, you have created them; Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name. 13 You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand. (Psalms 89:5-13)