Truth

Yesterday I went to encourage her to wash her clothes, brush her teeth and take care of herself, as I had been told she was not.   At one point to explain more why I was encouraging her, I said, “I love you.” 

She turned and glared at me, “You don’t love me.  I don’t believe it, and many others don’t believe it.  . . But I am not going to tell you who.”

My heart lurched and ached.  I wanted to argue, remind her of all the ways I have shown love.  I wanted to tell her how much I truly loved her, but I knew my words were not going to speak truth to her in that moment.  So, I just said, “I don’t need to know who, I know the truth.”  And in my heart I was crying out to the One who is truth.

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6

This weekend, another one of our teens struggled with the lies from her past.  “My mom’s brain stopped working, and my grandma told me mine would too.  Last night, I was afraid that my brain had stopped working.”  We reminded her of truth.  That God is the only one who knows her body, her mind and her brain.  He protects, He heals, and Jesus is her Savior.  We talked of her salvation, quoting scripture and reading God’s word.  As we prayed, as we sang to God, as we read scripture, she found peace and freedom from the only one who could give it.

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the TRUTH, and the TRUTH will set you free.’” John 8:31-32

Last evening, Mark and I sat in the living room with most of the girls age 5-14 at GSF.  Mark told them how beautiful they are to God and to us, and how God will use them for His kingdom.  I looked around the room at these beautiful little ladies in the making.  The world has been full of lies for them . . .  some have been abandoned, some abused, and some have had family members lie saying they didn't belong to them.  All have felt unloved and unwanted at times.  They need the truth; we all need the truth.  When we get overwhelmed with the lies and circumstances of the sin-filled world around us, we need to be guided in His truth.  All girls bowed their heads and prayed this verse together:

“Lead me in your TRUTH and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.” Psalm 25:5

The lies are there; they linger in our minds and prevent us from seeing the truth.  The truth that God is not giving up on us—He loves us!  The lies keep us from telling others of His great love and from accepting it ourselves.  How many times have I not loved someone well or told them the truth of God’s Word because I also believed the lies.  May God ever teach us His truth!

“Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your TRUTH; unite my heart to fear your name.” Psalm 86:11

A special thank you to Heather Grace Photo (http://heathergracephoto.com/)