Inspired by . . . what is truth

Inspired by . . . what is truth

 

 

I don’t have enough information, clarity or facts to speak directly to what is going on in Ferguson, Africa, or the middle east. 

But I do care.

And I’ve been reading a lot of blogs written by {mostly} well-intentioned people. It’s a lot to process. For all of us.

As I was reading, one image in particular stood out to me, personally.

 

 

Because, lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about perspective and why we believe the things that we believe about this world. Where does our viewpoint come from? What do we use as a point of reference? Does my viewpoint need to change? Does yours?

Who or what do we trust for the truth?

Do we trust the media? Most first reports are incomplete. The reporters either don’t have all the facts, or they choose which facts to report. Sometimes the facts reported are unsubstantiated and flat out wrong. Winston Churchill said, “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.”

 

 

Do we trust our feelings? our emotions to tell us the truth? I don’t know about you, but there are certain subjects that, because of experiences in my past, I find very difficult to be rational about. My emotions take over. I feel a certain way, but that doesn’t mean my feelings necessarily line up with the truth. Our own experiences can be tainted by our emotions or other factors, like how old we were when the experience occurred, etc.

We can believe {in} something sincerely . . . and be sincerely wrong.

What about our moral compass? Can we trust our minds or our heart to know what is right and what is wrong? All the time?

Consider this:

There is a way that seems right to a man,

But its end is the way of death. Prov 14:12, 16:25

 

 

What about the heart? Won’t we know it in our hearts if it’s true?

The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9

 

So what is truth, and how can we know it?

 

 

God is Truth. It is His truth that we should trust to govern our actions.  His truth should be our guide when we are forming opinions, and determining action.

We can know the truth because He has given it to us in the form of His Word.

 

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,

for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 1 Tim :16-17

 

We can stand on His Word as Truth. Not on scriptures taken out of context to serve a particular agenda.

But on the whole Word of God.

Do you feel overwhelmed and powerless to the point of inaction when you see the evil happening in our world today? I do.

We can all take a lesson from David and Nehemiah.

 

Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications,

with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said,

“O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him,

and with those who keep His commandments,

we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled,

even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. Daniel 9:3-5

 

And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach.

The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”

So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept,

and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. Nehemiah 1:3-4

 

We can pray.

Because sincere prayer changes us, and moves God.

God may, or may not be calling you to act beyond prayer. 

He calls each of us individually and personally.

And our obedience to that call is between us and God.

Let’s be careful about judging how others respond until we have walked in their shoes.

And let’s pray for the courage to act in obedience to God’s call.

 

Shalom,

 

 

 

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