Devotion: a prayer to live the truth

Jesus replied: “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me ”. - John 14: 6

Live your truth. It sounds easy, simple and liberating. But what happens when the truth someone chooses is separated from the one truth we have found in Christ? This way of seeking and living begins with pride invading our hearts and soon begins to bleed the way we see our faith.

This caught my attention in 2019, when the phrase live your truth was becoming increasingly popular in American culture. It deems it lawful to live in any form of "truth" you believe in. But now we are seeing the "truths" of people living in their lives, and it's not always nice. For me, not only do I see unbelievers falling prey to this, but followers of Christ are falling into it as well. None of us are immune from believing that we can have a truth separate from Christ.

I am reminded of the lives of wandering Israelites and the story of Samson. Both stories show disobedience to God due to living by the "truths" that had been sinfully woven together in their hearts. The Israelites openly demonstrate that they have no faith in God. They continued to try to take matters into their own hands and put their truth above what God wanted. Not only did they ignore God's provision, but they did not want to live within the limitations of his commandments.

Then we have Samson, filled with the wisdom of God, who exchanged this gift to give higher priority to his carnal desires. He rejected the truth for a lifetime that ended up leaving him empty. He was chasing a truth that looked good, felt good, and somehow… looked good. Until it was good - and then he knew it was never good. He was separated from God, carally desired, and full of consequences that God did not want him to face. This is what the false and proud truth apart from God does.

Our society is no different now. Flirting and participating in sin, choosing disobedience, living various forms of "false" truth, all expecting never to face the consequences. Scary, right? Something we want to escape from, right? Praise God, we have the choice not to participate in this way of life. By the grace of God, we have the gift of discernment, wisdom and clarity. You and I are called, commanded and guided to live His truth in the world around us. Jesus said in John 14: 6 that "I am the way, the truth and the life." And he. His truth is our truth, the end of the story. So, to my brothers and sisters in Christ, I pray that you join me in taking up our cross and living the true truth of Jesus Christ in this increasingly dark world.

John 14: 6 sq.m.

Pray with me ...

Lord Jesus,

Help us see your truth as the only truth. When our flesh begins to drift away, God, pull us back by reminding us of who you are and who you call us to be. Jesus, remind us every day that you are the way, you are the truth and you are the life. By your grace, we live freely in who you are, and we can always celebrate it and help people follow you.

In the name of Jesus, Amen