Sunday Devotion

Good morning! My name is Deborah Van Heest and welcome to this morning's devotion. The theme for this Sunday is "Speak Truth to Power" and I find no greater example of this than Jesus' own life. After his baptism, he spent forty days and forty nights being tested and tempted by Satan and then he returned home to preach. He was anointed to preach and he didn't hesitate to stand right up and say what was true and right. I look at his life and I am in awe. His journey, his story, changed the entire world, and his example - living and dying for us- even after years and years and years of telling and retelling, still influences my life. I am one person, nobody of any mention, and yet I am special, loved and worthy because of Him. And so are you! Every aspect of Jesus' journey impacts me and speaks truth to the power of God. How does it influence you? 
 
In speaking truth, Jesus' life is our example. I can feel his joy when sharing a meal with his family or his disciples, and I can identify with his quiet reserve when he's hounded by a rowdy crowd. I can feel his pain when his friend betrays him and I can empathize with him on that final night in the garden when he needed time alone to pray. All these things and more influence me because I've allowed God, through His power, to change my life.  That transformation allows us to bear witness to the spirit of truth to others through our actions and our words. When have you witnessed God's truth in your own experience? Please share with me now. 
 
We need to recognize God's Truth when we hear it and that's often hard. Saying what's right and true like Jesus did, is not always easy. People reject uncomfortable truths, and we know it wasn't in Jesus' nature to be mean or petty. He didn't call out the negative, but gently reminded them of God's blessings and how those blessings were not intended for a select few and neither was the redeeming presence of Christ through the Holy Spirit. Salvation is for everyone. I think that's the most important lesson here, given the year and time, 2022. Let us break down the walls that divide us from each other and us from the Lord. God's love extends beyond ourselves, beyond our family, our community, nation and religion. We are first and foremost servants who live Christ's mission for the benefit of all; from the rich to the broken and lost. Ephesians 4:15 says, "speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ."  
 
May we keep love in our hearts and let us always speak truth to the power of God. 

Author: Deborah Van Heest