Truth

12/26/2015

2 John 4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. – St. John

It sometimes seems that the further I go, the behinder I get; yes, life is life, but the questions just keep coming and often pile up like massive ice-flows on great rivers in the winter. Today, Boxing Day, I have questions and St. John isn’t making it any easier on me…

On Thursday, as I am wont to do, I got up and went to what I affectionately refer to as, Boy’s Club. It’s a meeting of local pastors and although I am not, I am invited because I used to be, and I think they have pity on me. At any rate, I went and only the host pastor (we meet at his church building) was there so, he and I had a pleasant conversation. He’s older and wiser and he shared some of his perspective with me. It is because of what we talked about, that John’s words in 2 John caught my eye: not everyone in church is walking in the truth… Doesn’t mean all can’t; but not all do.

St. John was writing to a church and expressed he rejoiced that some of the members (children) there were walking in the truth. It’s noteworthy to me than not all the children were walking in the truth. Of course, in the local church if all were walking in the truth it might look to be contrived. Or in Christian parlance, it would be, some church! The truth is: not all walk in the truth. Even at church.

I also went to see Star Wars yesterday (Christmas Day). Rey was leaving to find Luke Skywalker, and General (Princess) Leia bid her: May the force be with you. It almost sounded churchy, save Christians don’t follow a Force, but are to walk in truth with the Spirit of the Living God. May the Lord be with you! Not all walk in the truth just as we were commanded by the Father. Some do, but not all.

Some question the truth: is it for real, is it for me, do only church leaders have it? Others, use the truth as a weapon to be wielded over the flock. Still others walk in the truth, yet the truth looks nothing like what the world holds as truth: the truth as the Father commanded us, is walking in spirit with the Lord Jesus Christ. It sounds almost Star Warsy, but Star Wars is the only way some can even cope with this truth we’re to walk in – it seems better if its given fantastical trappings; fiction is often more palpable than truth; and some do walk in it. No one walks in the Force – there is no Force; only Truth.

One day, Jesus told a woman in Samaria (a real historical place) “… But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4.23-24) The woman was so confused in her beliefs she may as well have been looking for Star Wars; she wasn’t walking in the truth – she didn’t even know what truth was. In the Church we are supposed to know, but not all do – there is the source of my question… Why? Another blog. Another day.

For the Church: our quest is not for power but for truth. Our quest is for presence, not presents. Our quest is to walk in truth as the Father has commanded us: the truth of God, and of His will and way among us as we journey through this life toward an end of living face-to-face with Him, forever.

Father God, true God, real God, Living God, may I walk truly in truth, and bid the fantastical Force of human wistfulness good-bye. Amen.