Our weekly Christian devotional
“For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves. Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the creator, who is blessed for ever Amen.” Romans 1:25
“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 16:25
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7
“And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” John 8:32
When I was younger, it was rare to see any restaurant that would offer you a chance to customize your meal (Burger King being the exception, of course…)
Being such a picky eater really killed the dining experience for me. For the longest time, I didn’t think going out to eat was worth the trouble. Whenever I did, if I dared to place an order that wasn’t on the menu, my hungry stomach clenched in fear of what was to come next. ‘The expression’ from a waitress who wasn’t too keen on trouble makers like myself.
Thank goodness times have changed. It’s thrilling to see that most eateries have adapted to this ‘Have it your way’ trend. Since I’ve always been a big fan of ‘my way’, this suits me quite fine.
Who wouldn’t like the option to order a gluten-free, carb-free, organic, farm fed, or a Kosher dish if they had the notion to? Since scowling waitstaff have decreased dramatically, I can honestly say that I love dining out now.
Have you noticed this ‘Have it your way’ trend leaking into areas that were never intended to be a smorgasbord of choices? I have. It’s sad to see that it is even a common theme expressed in people’s search for ‘the truth’.
Many of my friends have been talking about this breed of spirituality that caters to every whim of our heart’s desire: Universalism. This ‘religion’ lacks such commitment that a clear definition of it’s theology can’t really be nailed down.
This is because the essence of Universalism depends upon the individual. A person who follows it may be compelled to live by a few positive mantras spoken by Buddhist monks, inspired by the selfless life of Christ, enjoy the ritualism of the Muslim faith and then choose to top off their ‘theology’ with a few inclusive beliefs hijacked from Hinduism.
Universalism is relative to the individual’s mood, culture, likes or dislikes. There is no constant. There is no truth. It’s so adaptive that it allows one to customize their ‘truth’ in order to cater to their individual preferences.
How utterly convenient! Your ‘truth’ can be whittled down enough to actually avoid your fears. I prefer to think of it as the ‘Golden Corral’ of spirituality. Who needs to download a coupon with a deal like that? It almost sounds too good to be true… (Pun intended.)
At first glance, Universalism sounds so idealistic. But, this hodge-podge of theology isn’t based on finding the truth at all. It’s based on the whims of men. It basically implies that man is the ultimate ‘god’ of himself.
Although this new age religion offers options that sound politically correct; the bottom line is the truth, much like gravity, cannot be avoided. ‘Truth’ that has no definition is void of value because it lacks substance.
To clarify my point let me illustrate: If a person has cancer, would taking a shower and putting on a fresh coat of makeup do anything to cure that reality? Denial and clinging to comforts will never offer a valid solution to the deadly truth of cancer. The truth must be dealt with honestly if a remedy is ever to be found for it.
My heart breaks for those who are satisfied with the ‘illusion’ of a dead spirituality. When one truly craves the truth, they are willing to accept ALL of it.
Unfortunately, the light of The Truth makes many people feel uncomfortable. And, in this age of comfort, this happens to also make it very un-popular. But,this also doesn’t make it any less true.
The Truth has a way of revealing things that aren’t pretty or fun, but this is what makes truth such a priceless gift. From this, we are given the opportunity to face ourselves as God sees us. What a powerful motivator!
Although human beings in every culture and in every century have tried to form God in the image they’d prefer to see Him as, the fact is: God is God.
No matter how ‘great’ any man or women is, there will always be an end to them. Humanity has a way of humbling all creatures. With God, this is not so.
The Truth was never intended to make everyone comfortable. It’s purpose was to set men free.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5BvhlHFO8w
“Dear Heavenly Father,
I’ve always told people that I was an open-minded seeker of truth, but that is a lie. I haven’t been seeking for anything but a salve to ease my guilty conscience.
For a while, it was working just fine for me. I continued on with my life making enough changes to convince myself that I was a ‘good enough’ person. But something has been missing…
When things are quiet and I am alone with my thoughts, I know the truth about who I really am. Lately, the lies aren’t satisfying me.
I don’t know what to believe anymore. What is true truth?! Today, I commit to searching for The Truth with all my heart, mind and soul.
And, if what I find isn’t something I want to hear, I promise not to run from it…I promise to run with it. Truth is the only thing that can set me free and I’m tired of being a prisoner.
In Jesus’ name, find me, Lord. I am lost. Amen.”
Thank you for reading our weekly Christian devotional on verses: Romans 1:25, Proverbs 16:25, Proverbs 1:7 and John 8:32
Please check back and see what we have for you next week!
Author: Julia Shalom Jordan