Matthew 2:11-12, “On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.”
As Christians, we’re on a journey and faith is our movement towards God. In the process of navigating the narrow path that is set before us in seeking the Saviour, no matter what we encounter along the way, as long as we stay focused, we learn more about Jesus, drawing closer to Him, becoming stronger in our battle with temptation and more sensitive to His voice.
In Matthew 2, while the Magi perceived that the Messiah had been born, their pursuit of the Prince of Peace took a detour to a carnal king and a place of potential temptation, distraction and danger. Similarly, in your own journey of faith and movement towards God, the devil will never stop trying to whisper subtle lies to you. The devil will never relent in his attempts to deceive us down any road that can disconnect our hearts from God. That is why the Bible reminds us in 2 Corinthians 2:11 that we must not be ignorant of the devices that the devil devises.
Having sought, found and worshiped the newborn King, the Magi looked beyond the lies of the cruel king Herod with his earthly authority and evil agenda. Instead of being influenced and used as a tool in Herod’s wicked hands, their encounter with Christ resulted in spiritual alertness to recognise the devil’s devices and so they took a different path back by divine direction and in the safety of God’s strong hands. Wisemen still seek Jesus Christ. To be spiritually alert, stop listening to the lies of the world that deceive you to destruction and seek the Saviour who promises to lead us on paths of righteousness.
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, in this journey of faith towards You, help me to be conscious of Your presence so that I do not go astray but let my life worship You with each step of obedience I take. In Jesus’ Name, amen.