Truth
In this chaotic world it’s easy to get caught up in the rhetoric of social justice, wokeism, conspiracy theories and fake news. Everyone has an opinion and many are very convincing. In the midst of all the chaos, questions we are all wrestling with are, “What is truth?” “What is right and what is wrong?” “Who is right and who is wrong?” It is surprising though that we as Christians wrestle with what truth is. We have been given the Word, we were given the Way, the Truth and the Life, yet somehow we are not always in unity. Opinions are made, sides are formed and we take comfort in exchanging ideas with like minded people. I certainly am guilty of that. We are all searching for truth. Yet I believe the real truth is not found in searching out facts. We are called to a higher Truth… to the One who is molding us into His image day by day, year by year; the One who takes any circumstance, bad or good, comfortable or uncomfortable, and uses it for our good. That may look very different for each of us. I am drawn to Romans 3:1 “What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision?” At times I have asked a similar question. What value is the Word when we don’t see it immediately manifest in our lives? What value is prayer when we don’t see our prayers answered as we think they should be? At times I think we tend to reduce God down to a version of Santa Claus…you be a good boy or girl and the presents will come.
The Jews were given the Law, the Prophets, the Temple, the very words and Presence of God, yet they missed the Truth. They thought their performance was good enough. Sadly, their performance would always fall short of God’s glory so it would never be enough. They rebelled, they complained against their leaders, they hungered for a better life, a different king, a mortal who would solve all their problems. Alas, this mortality was the very thing that caused their downfall. Do we face the same issues? Hebrews 3 tells us how the Hebrew people weren’t able to enter the Promised Land because of their unbelief, their unbelief in God’s promises, His provision. Chapter 4:1-3 tells us that same promise of entering into His rest still exists for us today. Canaan, the Promised Land, symbolizes Sabbath Rest. We don’t celebrate the Sabbath today in the same way they did because in Jesus Christ Sabbath rest is meant to be experienced every day, not just on Saturdays. Vs 2 states they did not mix God’s word with faith so it was of no value to them. They died in the wilderness. That promise is the same for us today. We have been given the Word. We have the Way, the Truth, and the Life, but it is not enough just to know about them. Just like the Hebrew people, we have to mix the word with faith. When we truly believe, our circumstances won’t matter. We enter into the Sabbath Rest, the Promised Land. God’s Truth becomes our truth, no matter what our earthly circumstances are or our level of comfort.
Recently I have watched some healing testimonies online. A common thread of some is they received healing in their bodies when they reached the point of becoming so enamoured with the Presence of God (rather than His presents) that their physical symptoms became secondary. According to their testimonies, from that point the symptoms began to leave. I think that is the truth into which God is calling us, to abide in the Presence of the One who is Truth. Our physical circumstances will not matter so much. Things on earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. Blessings,
Ev Bradbury