Truth Has Perished - Jeremiah 7:28

Jeremiah 7:28 Therefore say to them, “This is the nation that has not obeyed the Lord its God or responded to correction. Truth has perished; it has vanished from their lips.”

            Sometimes when I read the prophecies from the Old Testament, I feel as though those ancient words could have been written yesterday. It seems to be that we are experiencing the same kind of things that were going on in ancient Israel. I guess this also means that as a species, we never seem to learn much from the past.

            Honestly, when I read today’s chosen verse, I couldn’t help but think, “That’s us. That’s exactly where we are right now.” It didn’t comfort me at all and has only led me into thinking, “What’s my part in all of this? What can I do to make things change?” I certainly don’t want to become a Jeremiah, weeping and wailing about the mistakes and misfortunes of our nation; but at the same time, I don’t want be deluded or hide somewhere safe and comfortable until God sorts things out for Himself. If I did that, I would be serving myself and not God.

            As Christians, we are called to obey God and display the truth. It’s not an easy task because most of the world wants to do neither of those things. However, if we truly seek to serve Christ then unpopular things like truth and obedience have to play a central role in how we live our lives. There are supposedly more Christians in our nation than any other religions or faiths. Perhaps if we all honored truth and obedience, things would be much better for everyone, in our homes, schools, workplaces, churches, and country.

Questions for reflection

What truths are evident in our nation today? How can we serve God by faithfully dealing with those truths?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, life is never simple and living up to God’s truth is never easy. Open our hearts and minds to what is happening in our community, our country, and our world. Grant us the gift of discernment, as well as the hearts to follow through with service and obedience. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is an abstract drawing of John’s called ‘Way, Truth, and Life.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Truth.