"Responders"

(Thanks to Larry V. for inspiration on this one)

      "What is truth?  Pilate asked the question in response to the declaration of the Lord Jesus Christ: "For this cause came I into the world, that I might bear witness to the truth" (John 18:37-38).

     Our interest in truth always proceeds in this order.  God initiates and we respond, either positively or negatively.  In Pilate's case, he chose the latter by quickly escaping the Lord's presence to communicate with others rather than confront the great issue at hand.  "And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said unto them, I find no fault in Him at all."  Pilate spoke truly, of course, but in reality, he chose distraction from Truth rather than personal devotion to the Lord of Truth.

    We live in an age of distraction wherein God continues to communicate His truth by His Spirit, His Word, His church, and His creation, but wherein diversions also abound that offer a route of avoiding that which most matters.  Born again believers in the Lord Jesus are not exempt from the temptation.  As a dear friend often suggests, "we must be sure to keep the first thing the first thing, and the main thing the main thing."  This sounds simple, but it actually presents us with perhaps the greatest challenge of our lives.  Especially in these days when our spiritual enemies have countless means of communicating falsehood, keeping God's truth as the first thing and the main thing requires consistent determination and focus.  

   Personally, I find the greatest motivation to maintain focus on the Lord Jesus and His Truth involves the awareness that, as with Pilate, God originates the consideration of the subject.  That is, my interest in Truth always involves response to God's interest in my knowing the Truth.  "When Thou saidst, Seek ye My face, my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek" (Psalm 27:8).  Nothing more motivates seeking the Lord than the realization of how earnestly and intently He seeks us.  No awareness better leads to personal communion with our Heavenly Father than the remembrance that "the prayer of the upright is His delight" (Proverbs 15:8).  God made us as responders rather than originators.  He is the Alpha, the Beginning, and the Source of all things, and in the current consideration, of our devotion.  This does not absolve us of responsibility, no, not at all.  As responders, we must respond if the Truth is to have its proper and powerful place in our hearts.  Still, we must forever realize and affirm that any interest in Truth we may embrace exists because of our Father's interest in our knowing the Truth.  

    Long ago, a man asked perhaps the fundamental question of his existence in response to the Lord's declaration of His purpose to communicate reality.  "What is Truth?"   Sadly, Pilate ran from the answer.  May we rather run to the answer by gratefully appreciating our Savior's raising the issue in our hearts, and by responding with David, ""When Thou saidst, Seek ye My face, my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek."

"The Lord came and stood and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel.  And Samuel answered, Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth." 

(I Samuel 3:10)

Weekly Memory Verse

   Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the people.'

(I Chronicles 16:8)