HORSE THIEVES
Today's reading: Genesis 8-10, Matthew 4, Psalm 4

"Next the Devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him the nations of the world and all their glory. I will give it all to you, he said, if you will only kneel down and worship me." Matthew 4:8-9 NLT

My husband likes watching old westerns.

The tumbleweeds, the six-shooters, the ten-gallon hats and the horses. The tall, lanky cowboys, the bony-hipped, drive-worn cattle, the snake-bit cohorts and the tin cups of coffee served over campfires.

He thoroughly enjoys every aspect of them.

Me?

About the only thing I like about them are the horses.

The pintos, the dapples, the bays, the sorrels, the buckskins and the paints. The old nags and the feisty stallions. The ones that are rode bareback and the ones who pull the chuck wagons.

And especially the ones who are rescued from horse-thieves!

I never did like a horse thief. A fella who chooses to steal someone else's horse and attempt to sell it to another ranks pretty low in my books.

Satan is a horse thief.

Why even in today's account, he was attempting to sell Jesus something that wasn't his to sell. He presented Jesus the world and the glory that went with it--and it wasn't his to offer.

He still does it.

He attempts to tell me his comforts and ease can afford me peace...when peace isn't his to give.

He tries to make me believe that his ways, even though they go against God's, are the right way...when there is nothing right about anything he offers.

He convinces me that what he's saying is the truth...and the truth is not in him. Never has been, never will be!

Lesson for today: watch for horse thieves!