Scripture: Matthew 3:17-4:11
Journal: What voices are dominant in your life right now? What are they saying? Are they true? What does God’s Word say to you? How will you be guided by the truth instead
of being infected by the lies?
Reflection:
It seems like a significant part of living the
life of faith involves trying to figure out which voices to listen to. It can be really confusing. There are so many different voices vying for
our attention these days, both within us and around us. At times it can be really hard to figure out
which ones are telling the truth. The
problem is that often the voices in our lives that are most dominant and
prevalent are the very ones that are least reliable.
Therefore, it is imperative
that we figure out how to give space for the good voices (truth) to take root
and shape within us, while minimizing the space and the impact of the bad
(lies). But telling the lies from the
truth can be difficult. Sometimes the
differences are very subtle, and their arguments very convincing. We can easily get sucked into believing some
things are true simply because it feels like or seems like they are. But looks (and feelings) can be
deceiving. We need much more than
that. We need something more
substantial, something more solid and stable.
That is where the Word comes
in. And that is where the practice of
immersing ourselves in the Word of Truth comes in. If we are continually immersing ourselves in
the truth, then it will be a lot easier to recognize the lies when they come a
long, no matter how convincing they are.
Jesus is a perfect example
of this. On the glorious day of his baptism
he hears the voice of his Father speaking the beautiful truth of who he is:
“This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well-pleased.” And immediately after that he is led into the
desert to be confronted with the other voices, voices that are trying to get
him to believe something very different from that. Voices that are trying to get him to doubt
the truth of who he is. “If you are the
Son of God,” they whisper, “then prove it.”
But Jesus is not swayed by
the lies. Why? Because we knew the truth. Just listen to the way he answers each of the
three temptations. He answers each with
the words: “It is written.” Jesus was so
familiar with the Voice of Truth that he was easily able to differentiate it from
the subtle lies of the enemy. And if we
are to have any hope of being victorious in that same battle, we must do the
same. We must immerse ourselves in the
Word of Truth so that we can be able to identify and overcome the lies of the
enemy. For if we “abide in his word, we
are truly his disciples, and we will know the truth, and the truth will set us
free.” (John 8:32) Let’s not delay, our
freedom is at stake.
Prayer
Closing
Prayer: God, I must confess that sometimes it is easy
to believe the lies because they are so loud and so prevalent within and around
me. But help me to listen to your voice
instead—the Voice of Truth. And help
that truth to set me free. Amen.
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