Friends, this month’s topic seems to pierce my (Jennifer) heart. Truth is a funny thing. Some of us speak it absolutely and unapologetically every time. The culture seems to believe it can be “flexible” or “situational.” Some desperately seek it, hoping to find a solid foundation for life. Many of us hope it never catches up to us after an ugly slice of life. (Been there and done that.) Truth can be terribly hard to embrace. It’s so—permanent and unchanging; and it’s often in conflict with one little word that is not a river in Egypt. So, in order to step into truth, we’ve got to step out of denial. Truth and reality are two tightly-twisted strands in the thread of a healthy life.
Truth is, what we don’t know or what we choose to ignore can hurt us. And that’s why I wanted to write a sort of open letter to your heart (and mine!).
Dear One—
Once upon a time life was amazing. Daddy-God created our reality with a word. Light and dark were separated. Water was given boundaries. Solid ground waited to be explored. Green things grew. Critters began to breathe and live the critter life. Man. Woman. Beautiful identity. Perfect unity in a perfect world.
Then it got complicated. Brokenness.
For thousands of years your Daddy-God has been speaking into and to creation. He’s still speaking to you today. Do you believe that? Many of His children suffer from something like amnesia after a head-on collision with the brokenness in life. Because you are so dearly loved, this letter was written just for you.
Truth for Lies
Once the truth was widely known and accepted—truth told you who you are, why you are here, and where your life was going. But you (you and everybody) “exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:25 NIV). Sweet heart, what preoccupies your mind, interests, passions, or activity? Truth? Lies? A created thing? A caricature of who you were meant to be? Is it your Creator, Daddy-God?
Maybe you suffer from amnesia, or maybe the diagnosis is more serious. Get gut-level honest; find out what’s in that heart of yours. Lay your bare heart out for serious examination because it matters. Step out of denial because it’s deadly. Eternally so.
[F]or those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. Romans 2:8 NIV
Your Daddy-God hates self-seeking behavior, evil, and lies—meeting all of that with a strong response, period. Now you should meet lies and “flexible truth” with the strength of real truth. Truth can be known, and it obliterates denial, lies, and darkness. There is freedom in truth. Take it!
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32
Fr-ee-ee-ee-dom!
You are offered amazing freedom in truth. You have also been offered everything you need to know and obey the truth. Take Jesus up on the offer!
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. John 16:13
You can receive the Spirit of truth. Leave the river of denial and stand on solid truth ground. You’ll have power to walk away from “shameful secret things…deceit…and distorting God’s message,” and many people will be receptive to “an open display of truth” (2 Corinthians 4:2 CSB).
It’s all about Love
Would you believe strychnine is superfood designed to improve quality of life? (Ask any rat about that!) Would you allow someone else to believe it? Of course not.
You know some truth right now. You’re responsible for that. And you’re responsible to yourself and others. Don’t look at this world on fire and play your tiny violin for the people in chaos. That would be cruel. Downright evil. That’s not love.
Love is patient; love is kind. Love does not envy; is not boastful; is not conceited; does not act improperly; is not selfish; is not provoked; does not keep a record of wrongs; finds no joy in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (emphasis added)
Sweet heart, receive truth eagerly and speak it lovingly. Receive it because your life depends on it. Speak truth because your life and others’ depends on it.
Truth may not feel warm and fuzzy, but receive it and speak it anyway.
You may quake in your cute, impractical, form-over-function shoes. Receive it and speak it anyway.
Denial demands you paddle harder on the river, but it never changes the truth. Receive it and speak it anyway.
Your Daddy-God is truth. Jesus is the truth that reunites the children of God with their Father. The Spirit of truth will fill, teach, and lead you. Receive and speak that truth.
You are loved. Truth!
~Your Daddy-God
Sweet friend, is truth in your life muddied and dead on denial’s riverbank? When do you want to step out of that denial?
Which truths have you “forgotten” in the middle of this hard life? Do you know who your Daddy-God says you are? (Maybe start with that truth.)
Which truths do you most need to embrace more than anything right now? Does it start with embracing Jesus, “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6)? That and repentance are the foundation for everything else.
Thanks for reading along, friend. I hope this letter speaks to you. It speaks more loudly to me than you know. Share your thoughts in the comments below or on our Facebook Page. As always, the Facets love when our readers share!
Love you, Dear One.
