Unpredictable Characters

And if the storyline in suspense movies is really twisted you often discover that the person you loved at the beginning actually turns out to be the evil one.

Deuteronomy 13:1-18

Reference:  v.2 …and if the sign or wonder of which he [the prophet] has spoken takes place, and he says, "Let us follow other gods" (gods you have not known) "and let us worship them,"… (NIV Bible)

Explore:  When I go to the DVD store to rent a movie I tend to lean towards hiring those that are quite predictable and enjoyable.  However, when there is a group of us preparing to watch a movie these predictable DVDs are not often approved by the majority.  It is on these nights that we tend to watch a thriller or suspense movie.  While this is not my preferred choice, I do tend to love most movies and so I quickly get sucked in to the story line.  A really great suspense movie will have me on the edge of my seat going through an emotional rollercoaster of compassion, fear, hate, anxiety then relief.  In these type of movies you never really know how the movie is going to turn out.  And if the storyline is really twisted you often discover that the person you loved at the beginning actually turns out to be the evil one.  The challenge in these movies for me is that I never really trust any of the characters because I don't want to open myself up to them, just to discover they are the serial killer in the end!! (Yes, I take my movie watching very seriously – ha!!)

Application:  Our passage in Deuteronomy is preparing us for people who come in to our lives who seem to be right but end up being terribly wrong – just like the suspense movie characters.  There were many prophets during the days of Moses and the Israelites, but not all of them were of God.  They could interpret dreams and predict the future, but unless they pointed people towards the 'Lord your God' they were not true prophets.  There are many great things in our world today that can help and appease our troubles, but do they point us toward God?  We are to acknowledge God in ALL our ways and He will make straight our paths.  Following God is not a "maybe sometimes" deal.  It's all or nothing.  God warns us against people who try to offer us something better or more appealing.  We must remember the story of the Israelites and see it in our own lives, there is nothing greater than our God.

Prayer:  Lord, there are many opportunities in our world that help us get ahead and become better people.  May the opportunities that we choose help us to draw closer to You.  Amen.

What have you been offered that turned out to be not as good as it first seemed?

Deuteronomy