Daily Devotion:

Title: Intentional Misdirection

Date: November 06, 2017

Let me show you a card trick. Shuffle. Pick a card. Now put it here. One, two, three, four. Put it on the bottom. Is this your card? No? I’ll take this card and put it here. I’ll do this seven times. Is this your card? No? Is this your card? No? Is this your card? No? Is this your card? No? Is this your card? No? Is this your card? No? Let’s go through this deck again. Is this your card? No? Is this your card? No? Is this your card? No? Is this your card? No? Is this your card? No? Is this your card? No? Is this your card? No? I’ll hold these cards in my fingers. Say Hocus Pocus. Slap. Is this your card?

Deliberate misdirection is as inconsequential and as subtle as a card trick and as consequential and sophisticated as politics in government. Deliberate misdirection takes your eye off of the genuine action.

God is Genuine. No trick. No misdirection. Just Truth. There are no secrets or deceptions when we stand naked at the Gate of Heaven with Eye of God upon us. 

Let’s Pray: Holy Truth, the One, and Only Wisdom reveal Yourself to me--again and again by touching my soul--that I may grow wise and innocent in You. Amen.

A Thought: The Eye of God sees through you and me.

Sources and Scriptures

This best of all secret card trick was taught to me by a Roman Catholic Xaverian Brother in 1973 with a promise to keep its secrets to myself. I do. 

From Wikipedia   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misdirection_%28magic%29

“Misdirection is a form of deception in which the attention of an audience is focused on one thing in order to distract its attention from another. Managing the audience's attention is the aim of all theater, it is the foremost requirement of theatrical magic. Whether the magic is of a ‘pocket trick’ variety, or, a large stage production, misdirection is the central secret of all magic. The term is used to describe either the effect (the victim's focus on an unimportant object) or the sleight of hand or patter (the magician's speech) that creates it.”

Matthew 10:16 

"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” New International Version

"Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.” New Living Translation

“Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” English Standard Version 

“See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” New Revised Standard Version

Psalm 31:5

“Into your hands, I commit my spirit; deliver me, LORD, my faithful God.” NIV

“I entrust my spirit into your hand. Rescue me, LORD, for you are a faithful God.” NLT

“Into your hand, I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.” ESV

“Into Your hand, I commit my spirit; You have ransomed me, O LORD, God of truth.” NASB

“Into your hand, I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.” NRSV

Rumi

“If you don’t find true balance, anyone can deceive you.”