What is truth? A simple enough question, yet one that will bring a myriad of answers. Maybe because we live in a world where each embraces their own relative truth, conditions generally apply, and it easily gets wrapped up in selfishness and alternative motives.
However, as believers, we must hold tightly to a different standard. Acknowledging that we live in a broken and fallen world that twists, manipulates, and compromises truth is a good start. But knowing that there is hope which allows us to have the confidence to walk in freedom in order to live this life abundantly is what we really need to believe. That means whole-heartedly knowing that “real” truth has nothing to do with us and everything to do with our God (John 14:6).
God’s truth allows us to see past ourselves and place our sights on His mercy, grace, and righteousness (Lamentations 3:22). God’s truth provides hope and healing, transformation and assurance, love and validation (John 8:32). God’s truth is covered in promises, bountiful blessings, and covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8).
Unfortunately, our society is painstakingly slipping further away from God’s truth and ultimately His perfect and purposeful design for our marriages and families. Sweet sister friend, we mustn’t bend to these cultural lies or get sucked into the vortex of misguided conceptions of God’s Word. Rather, we must stay alert and be ever so vigilant by tucking God’s absolute truth in our hearts (Proverbs 3:3).
As Valentine’s Day quickly approaches, let it be a reminder to love our husbands, children, family, and friends by rejoicing in God’s truth. Yes, it sounds simple enough, but there really is more to it than meets the eye, so read on and see how that can play out in your day-to-day life:
True love does not delight in evil but rejoices in truth (1 Corinthians 13:6). Well, duh! You may read this verse and glaze right over it, as I know I surely have. But this is actually where the boundary line begins! We must draw a line between what is right and what is wrong. If we don’t, our sinful nature will take over and easily blur the lines.
We attain those boundaries by reading God’s Word. Paul is addressing the church in Corinth in 1 Corinthians 13, proclaiming that their behavior of divisiveness, jealousy, pride, sexual immorality, and injustice infiltrated their hearts, leading them to quarrel with one another and lose sight of God’s truth.
This message is a reminder to us as well. When we flirt with evil (no matter how minuscule), make compromises, and justify sinful choices, it will slowly harden our hearts, consume our thoughts, and build a wall rather than a bridge between us and the ones we dearly love.
Friend, we must seek after what is good. Not only that but delight in it and eagerly strive to live it out! 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 tells us that we are to be patient, kind, content, and humble. Furthermore, it says we are to honor others above ourselves, be servant-hearted, aim to protect truth from the weaponization of the world, and persevere when it gets hard. While we may naturally bend toward wrongdoing, with God’s help, we can just as easily bend towards doing what is good and delight in it because of God’s goodness.
So, what lies are you believing in your marriage or being tempted by in your ministry as a mother? Is there a bitter root of resentment or ill intent towards a friend or family member? Come clean before God and ask Him to cleanse your heart of the impurities leading you away from His truth. Then ask for His guidance in choosing to seek after what is honorable and right.
The main theme weaved throughout God’s Word is love. We are to love God with our whole heart, mind, body, and soul (Mark 12:30), and then to love our neighbor as ourself (Mark 12:31). Sounds easy enough, right? Well, sadly, our world has so many misinterpretations of love and how we should show it that the trap of acceptance and validation to justify personal views is a reality, even for Christians. But friend, we were never called to happily oblige and conform to this world (Romans 12:2). So, let’s take a deeper look at the stark differences and see how we can truly love as Jesus commands us to.
The world views love through the lens of a fleeting feeling, declaring it should consume us with happiness, acceptance, and pleasure. It demands attention and affection, longs for approval, and proclaims that to love others you must love yourself first. It primarily focuses on self.
Jesus’ love is expressed with patience, kindness, and compassion, and is wrapped in grace and forgiveness. It comes with a heart to serve and a will to sacrifice. The love we find beautifully depicted in the Scriptures is less about us and more about our gracious and loving Father (1 John 4:7-21). A Father who loves His children and knows what is best for us.
God’s love tells us to lay down our life for our friends (John 15:13) and pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44). He models for us how to serve in love as He washed the feet of His disciples, guided His people through the wilderness, and spoke truth as He empowered and equipped the disciples (and us) to spread His Word and grow His kingdom. God’s love embodies truth; it is unconditional and utterly selfless.
How are you loving your precious spouse, darling children, family, friends, neighbors, and even strangers with grace, humility, and compassion? Are you serving them and speaking truth into their lives? Which areas can you grow in and receive the truth about God’s love?
Did you know that there are about 8,000 promises scattered throughout the Bible? That’s a lot of promises, my friend! Wow, our God is so faithful and makes good on His promises. As believers, with our confession of faith, we can cling to these many promises and rejoice in His truth.
Just for our own personal lives, God promises us a hope for our future (Jeremiah 29:11) and to never leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8). God also tells us that He will instruct us in the ways to go (Psalm 32:8) and offer rest when we are weary (Matthew 28:11).
When it comes to our relationships and how to honor them in a way that pleases God, there are many precious promises to cling to and etch into our hearts. Read the promises below aloud, declare them over your husband, children, family, and friends, and rejoice in the truth that our God is such a good and faithful Father!
God’s Promises for Your Marriage
God declares it is not good for man to be alone, so He created a helper. That’s you (Genesis 2:18)! God joined a man and woman to become one flesh with spoken vows, making a covenant with Him (Matthew 19:6). God honors marriage and wants it to remain sexually pure; therefore, God will judge accordingly (Hebrews 13:4).
God’s Promises for Your Children
Children who are taught in the ways of The Lord will be given peace (Isaiah 54:13). Children should hear and obey their father's and mothers’ instruction as this is the way of God (Proverbs 1:8 and Proverbs 22:6). Children are a blessing and heritage from the Lord (Psalm 127:3-5).
God’s Promises for Your Family and Friends
Denying the needs of our family is essentially denying our faith so we must take notice of those who need our care, compassion, and provision, as God sees the nature of our hearts (1 Timothy 5:8). Sweet and genuine friendships usher in the presence of God (Proverbs 27:9). How sweet is that!
This Valentine’s Day (and all the other days in between), may we shed light on God’s unwavering and unfailing love by delighting in doing what is honorable, good, and right. Let us love with grace, compassion, and humility, and cling to the beautiful promises that God made to us all. Rejoice in that truth and love your people fiercely!
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