In yesterday’s devotional I highlighted a Chinese proverb: “A millimeter discrepancy leads to a thousand mile loss.”

To explain it, Christopher Yuan tells the tragic story of Korean Airlines flight 007 which veered off course. A problem had occurred with the autopilot. At first, a few degrees wasn’t such a big deal. But after a while, the plane drifted into Russian airspace and was shot down.

I used this as an opportunity to talk about the drift that can happen in our own lives. That drift is dangerous when it leads us away from the teachings of Jesus. At first, a few degrees doesn’t seem like a big deal. But over time, the divergent path increases. Instead of moving toward our destination we find ourselves veering toward disaster.

That’s why it’s important to make mid-course corrections. In Colossians 2:3 Paul says this about Jesus: In him “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” All, not some. Therefore, mid-course corrections are about looking at our priorities, relationships, actions and decisions, and seeing how we can bring them back in line with the wisdom of Jesus. If ALL the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in him, it makes sense that our compass is set to Christ.

Here’s a special word for today.

There are some who are reading this who may be distressed about a decision they have made in their past. They can see how it has led them to a bad place. It has perhaps filled them (you) with regret or some sort of pain.

Here’s the thing we need to keep in mind with a mid-course correction. It’s a correction we make mid-course. Mid-course. We can’t go back and change the past. It’s done. 

But what we CAN do is prayerfully think through today. We can prayerfully think through our decisions going forward into tomorrow to ensure they are more closely aligned with the wisdom of Jesus.

Mistakes happen. Sometimes we make bad decisions. Sometimes we perhaps didn’t have all the facts in front of us. Maybe we were naive. There are times when we were actually misled. Some things are within our control, but a lot of things are outside of our control.

No matter what has happened in the past, today is today. We can prayerfully think it through. We can also think through our decisions which lead us forward into tomorrow. 

Let’s make mid-course corrections to be better aligned with the teachings of Jesus. He is the one in whom are hidden “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” 

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Notes:

–Sermon: “Your Christ Compass.” Related to today’s devotional, this sermon from January 7, 2024 unpacks the mysterious visit of the wise men to the infant Jesus. Click here.

–Bible study podcast: “The Wise Men’s Visit, Herod’s Treachery, Exceeding Joy.” An in-depth look at Matthew 2. Click here, or tune in to ‘The Pulse Podcast with Matthew Ruttan’ wherever you subscribe.

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.