February 18 - The Truth about Truth
February 18
The Truth about Truth
Bible Reading: Psalm 146:1-10
1Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! 2While I live I will praise the Lord; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. 3Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help. 4His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; In that very day his plans perish. 5Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God, 6Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; Who keeps truth forever, 7Who executes justice for the oppressed, Who gives food to the hungry. The Lord gives freedom to the prisoners. 8The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; The Lord raises those who are bowed down; The Lord loves the righteous. 9The Lord watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked He turns upside down. 10The Lord shall reign forever— Your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the Lord!
GOD DID NOT create everything.
Does that statement surprise you? It's true.
Oh, He created the universe, with its countless galaxies of stars and planets, asteroids, and black holes.
He created this earth and all its rivers and oceans, mountains and valleys, rocks and grass and trees.
He created all the fish and creatures in the sea. He created dolphins, whales, swordfish, and tuna. He created the glassy eyes of the shark. He created the spoon-shaped tail of the manatee. He created the poisonous fins of the lionfish and the eerie sleekness of the manta ray.
He created the broad wings of the condor and the rapid, darting flight of the hummingbird. He created the tufted ears of the Canada lynx and the long neck of the giraffe. He created the odd waddle of the armadillo, the grace of the antelope, the powerful jaws of a crocodile, and the purr of a kitten.
But God did not create everything. He didn't create truth because He is truth. Truth is a part of His nature.
Of course, there are some people who believe that there is no such thing as truth. "Truth is relative," they say. "It is different for each person." But even those who say such things believe that their own statement is true, or they would not say it.
But truth does not only exist, it is eternal and unchanging because it is a part of the nature of God. As Moses said, "He is ... a God of truth" (Deuteronomy 32:4, KJV). Truth also can be our guide, for we can pray as the psalmist did: "Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me" (Psalm 25:5).
REFLECT: Why does today's reading say that God did not create truth? How is truth related to God? Do you think it makes sense for someone to say that there is no such thing as truth? Why or why not?
PRAY: Look up Jesus' prayer for his disciples in John 17:17. Pray that verse aloud, making it your own prayer by saying me every time you see the word them.