Day 35 in the Wilderness: Don’t let the pursuit of a “shiny object” lead you to destruction.

“When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭7:21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

In 2016, over a very short period of time, a would-be kidnapper, waved a $100 bill at least 19 little girls across nine counties in Iowa, in an attempt to abduct them. Thankfully, he was pursued and captured before being able to carry through with his horrendous plan.

Sadly, children are very vulnerable to being enticed away from safety by offers of money, candy, interaction with a cute animal, or any number of things and scenarios used to entice children. It’s a terribly evil phenomenon, sometimes ending tragically.

But does this phenomenon end with children? Sadly, it doesn’t; even as adults—even as Christian adults—we may be tempted, enticed, by something we find “irresistible.” Tragically, the cost of attaining that thing, might be our own well-being.

“Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”

‭‭James‬ ‭1:13-15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Indeed, the original Fall of man was the result of enticement by a “shiny object,” and an accompanying voice saying, “Why shouldn’t you be able to have that?”

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3:6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

To say that there is no pleasure in sinful behavior, is disingenuous. But the pleasure of sin is very temporary and can come at the cost of an eternal reward.

“By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:24-26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Here, the writer of Hebrews makes clear that there were pleasures to be had in the house of Pharaoh; but Moses, chose to suffer temporarily, in order to receive a greater reward.

We do well to follow this admonition:

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

‭‭I John‬ ‭2:15-17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Today we find Achan confessing to transgressing against the command of God.

“And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the Lord; they shall come into the treasury of the Lord.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭6:18-19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The people had been instructed not to take any of the spoil from Jericho for themselves. Rather, they were to destroy everything except the gold, silver, bronze, and iron, which were to be consecrated to the Lord.

Now, not only did Achan take a beautiful garment into his possession, he also took things God had specifically said belonged to Him. The end for Achan and his family was not pretty.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

‭‭James‬ ‭1:17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Remember, God is a good Father and He is also our King. We do what He commands because He is God. But make no mistake, the Lord won’t withhold any (truly) good thing from you (Psalm 84:11). So, don’t let the enemy of your soul deceive you into pursuing something that will cost you everything.

For today write this in your “wilderness journal”:

Don’t let the pursuit of a “shiny object” lead you to destruction.

#40daysinthewilderness