In Order. Can You Handle the Truth?
July 31, 2017. Isaiah 59-63
In Order. Can You Handle the Truth?
This reading starts out harsh, it is blunt and honest and raw. To a point this may make you flinch and say ouch, but wait, continue reading and you will see a sweet reminder.
Isaiah 59:12
For our offenses are many in your sight, and our sins testify against us.
Our offenses are ever with us, and we acknowledge our iniquities:
13 rebellion and treachery against the Lord, turning our backs on our God, inciting revolt and oppression, uttering lies our hearts have conceived.
14 So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter.
15 Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes prey.
The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice.
Read that portion again, does that not sound like the world we live in today? We have turned our backs on our God, we cannot even speak his name in school without getting judged or reprimanded. When you try and speak truth you are told to keep it to yourself for fear of offending someone. And if you do speak the truth of what the Bible says about a certain topic you become the target of hate.
How sad that this is the world we are living in and the world our children have to grow up in. A world that is so full of hatred, and fear, and sin. A world that opens their arms to every sin nature the devil can throw at them and yet when the love and truth of God is spoken it is bashed and beaten and thrown out and twisted into something ugly. When in reality it is their hope, it is their salvation, and it is everything they have been searching for, but have been too blind to see.
Oh but there is hope in God, he brings it himself.
20 “As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants – from this time on and forever,” says the Lord.
It is so easy today to hide our relationship with Christ, it seems easier to keep our beliefs and our convictions to ourselves and follow along. And honestly right now it probably would be easier to do that. But we are called to be different, to bring the Light to this dark world. We are called to share the only truth. Yes it may be hard, yes you may have a few tough days, but in comparison to what? God has already promised a victory, and has promised to never leave you. So what is holding you back from speaking the Truth?