ONE CLEAR TRUTH
Kimberly Lawrence
Today's Scripture: “Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts.” 1 Thessalonians 2:4b, NLT
Theme: When we focus on pleasing God, we direct our efforts towards one clear and faultless path, not many conflicting ones.
THE WORLD AT MY FINGERTIPS
Sometimes, I take for granted my access to information today. I recall an Encyclopedia Brittanica salesman coming to our home when I was in Junior High because my parents wanted to be sure my sister and I would have the resources necessary to prepare for High School. He unloaded volumes of heavy, brown books to our living room shelves and I remember being overwhelmed by all they contained. How could I have imagined a time where that same information, along with exponentially more, would be available within seconds and at my fingertips? And it would always be current, never out of date!
With the swipe of my thumb, I can now Google just about any question that crosses my mind. I use this resource countless times a day to validate, disprove, find directions, or just learn more about a new topic. My phone and the data it contains is indispensable to me. Yet sometimes the information is so voluminous, it can be confusing, contradictory, and even inaccurate.
FINDING TRUTH
We live in an age of endless news, data, opinion and communication – an assault of information – which can sometimes blur the lines between fact and fiction. Just as soon as I’m sure of myself, I can likely “Google” search to find an immediate contradiction. Suddenly, doubt can replace conviction. In our movie this week, Captain “Sully” is questioned about his decision to land the damaged plane in the Hudson River rather than turning back to one of the nearby airports. Dozens of experts, with the benefit of hindsight, weigh in on every detail of the flight. His account of the timing and damage are doubted. His experience and expertise are questioned. Yet, his confidence never wavered. He quite literally bet his life, and that of 155 others, on that pivotal decision.
REMAINING RESOLUTE
Have you ever been so sure of yourself... until you weren’t? Maybe you ultimately determined you were “right” about something, but questions caused you to momentarily doubt your certainty. Our faith journey can sometimes be like that. There may be doubters, naysayers, or contrarians who devote their energies to trying to disprove our convictions and truths. Think of how Jesus felt during His ministry. Even the Pharisees, the supposed religious experts of the day, were His adversaries! Yet Jesus remained resolute in His teaching and mission…the one and only Son of God.
There are times it’s easier to water down the truth by selectively applying information to suit our needs. A one-size-fits-all approach to Christianity would certainly allow us to continue living a worldly-focused life while conveniently reserving our spot in the Kingdom of Heaven. But the Bible is very clear about the path to heaven and it’s not just being kind, generous, or a genuinely good person. Jesus said in John 14:6 (NIV), “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” As much as we might like to believe all “good people” will join us in heaven, the unfortunate truth is that ALL are invited yet not all will accept the invitation. We must avoid the dead ends the world will have us believe are alternate routes. We must focus on and proclaim the one clear path to God!
Make It Personal: Let us focus today on what Scripture says about our salvation and path to heaven, blocking out contradictions and false information. Allow no distractions. There is only One who is righteous, sent to save us from our sins, and He alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
Pray: God, thank You for sending your Son, Jesus, as a sacrifice for me. Help me to remember He alone is my grace and salvation. Help me also to be discerning about information and resources I use, resisting the temptation to accept watered down, false teachings because they seem convenient. I want to serve You alone, my living God. Amen.
Read: John 14:6, 3:16; 1 John 5:12; Matthew 7:13-14; Isaiah 53:1-12
Weekly Memory Verse: “But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.” Luke 5:16, NLT