Vessels Of Truth

Revelation 1:9-11

It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast. (Revelation 1:10)

WE LIVE IN A POST-TRUTH WORLD. Truth hasn’t gone away, by any means; it is just as absolute as it always has been. But in terms of perception, of modern philosophies and discourse, the idea of absolute truth has fallen out of fashion. In many ways, society’s openness to diverse understandings and perspectives is a welcome trend; the absolutism of the past has not always served us well and has driven many people, even (or especially) in the church, to harsh judgments, presumptuous biases, and atrocious persecutions and inquisitions. Even so, though a variety of perspectives often strengthens our own views, some issues really are nonnegotiable. The truth is out there. And the world desperately needs it.

People are hungry for real revelation and insight, whether they realize it or not, and there’s only one place to get it: in God’s presence. His revealed Word is reliable, of course, but our interpretations of it are not. We do not obtain real understanding simply by reading the Bible and trying to figure out how it all fits together. That approach has led to tens of thousands of denominations, all of them certain they are closest to the truth. Meanwhile, the people with real spiritual influence have gotten their insights by sitting in God’s presence, conversing with him, and opening their hearts and minds to the depths of his words and his Word. Like John on Patmos, we get unusual insights when we are worshiping in the Spirit and encountering God ourselves.

If you want to grow in understanding, put more of your focus on relating to God and less on trying to figure everything out. In response to your faith, he will show you things in the depths of your heart that you could not have understood otherwise. You will see his purposes and other people in new ways. You will know things in your spirit that don’t come naturally. And you will be prepared to offer life-giving wisdom and revelation to your world.

{Holy Spirit, fill me with your presence and show me truths of the Kingdom, just as Jesus promised. Give me insights that become a blessing to the people around me. May I not just know truth but embody it. Amen.