Truth is How We Live
If someone asked you, “What is ‘truth’?”, what would you say?
Verse of the Day
‘Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you.’
Today’s Devotional
What is truth? How would you define it? Today we begin looking at Truth from as many angles as I can find mentioned in Scripture. We must begin this study by knowing how to define “truth”.
In the dictionary, “truth” is defined as “the actual state of a matter; a verified or indisputable fact, proposition or principle”. Truth is not up for debate, though not all humans agree with God’s truth. The reasons for people not being willing to believe the truth of God are not our business. However, if we will follow the teaching of today’s verse, people who don’t believe might become more receptive.
This verse is a request that David (the author of this psalm) is making of God. He wants to live his life according to God’s truth. In order for him to do that, he must be taught. There is humility and submission in this simple request. David assumes that he needs God to teach him things that he currently does not know. David, therefore, is confessing that he does not have all of the answers.
There is a tendency in prayer to say to God, “Show me what to do so I can get the outcome I so desperately want.” We mean well when we pray like this, and usually we are not quite so honest about it. But how would our lives change if we desperately sought for God to teach us His ways?
Once we begin learning God’s ways and we begin to put them to practice in our lives, a shift begins to happen. Instead of simply surviving each day, we slowly learn how to LIVE. The sweet spot that we are all seeking, generally without realizing that’s what we’re seeking, is in God’s truth. It’s where all the good stuff happens. And not the stuff that this world calls good. God’s truth contains abundant life, joy in difficulties, gratitude and praise in every circumstance, undeserved favor, kindness toward others. Within God’s truth is where each of us can finally live in freedom.
But we need help to get there, hence the request for God to teach us. And if you look at the next sentence in today’s verse, we also need purity of heart. I daresay that I need God’s help with that too.
It is an indisputable fact that God is God and we are not. My prayer today is to be a person who is willing to ask for God to teach me so that I can live each day within His truth.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
How teachable are you?
What would you like to ask God to teach you?
What part of your faith do you need God’s help with?
Are you willing to echo David’s prayer and ask God to teach you how to live according to His truth?