HEBREWS 3:10

“THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THIS GENERATION, AND SAID, ‘THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART, AND THEY DID NOT KNOW MY WAYS’;”

There is a spot where I go hunting on a friend’s lease that requires me to know exactly where I am going. Once I took what I thought was a shorter route to the tree stand only to wind up right in the middle of a thicket that was full of downed timber. It was practically impossible to walk through without crawling over logs and through some horrible thorny vines. Needless to say, I learned my lesson about taking my eyes off the path.

It is so easy to go astray if we take our eyes off the One Who is guiding us. The writer of Hebrews quotes verse 10 of Psalm 95 here which says, “‘For forty years I was disgusted with that generation, and said they are a people who err in their heart,

and they do not know My ways.’” These Hebrew children erred time and time again and strayed from God’s commands. But we are the same. We think we know best, right?

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

We can see an Application to make here. God is telling us to stay on the path, do not stray. The Greek word for “astray” is planáō which means “go astray, get off-course; to deviate from the correct path (circuit, course), roaming into error, wandering; (passive) be misled. Planáō is the root of the English term, planet (‘wandering body’). This term nearly always conveys the sin of roaming.” (HELPS Word-studies)

planáō which means “go astray, get off-course; to deviate from the correct path (circuit, course), roaming into error, wandering; (passive) be misled. Planáō is the root of the English term, planet (‘wandering body’). This term nearly always conveys the sin of roaming.” (HELPS Word-studies)

In Mark 12:27 we see this word used when Jesus says, “‘He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; you are greatly mistaken.’” The word “mistaken” is planáō. Sometimes we go astray when we are misled by others. We may receive wrong teaching that confuses the truth. I know those teachers will receive a greater judgment.

However, often our straying is of our own doing. In James 1:14-16 we see this clearly. “14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters.” The word “deceived” is planáō. Our own sins will cause us to stray.

So, how do we combat that? Stay in the Word. Stay in prayer. Live holy lives. Confess quickly and often. Do not give the devil an inch. You know he will take a mile. Stay on the path you know – the path of righteousness.

Father God, lead me on Your path of righteousness and keep me from going astray.