Return to The Source of Truth

It is amazing what can be lost to time.

Recently I went to visit my grandmother's grave. I noticed an older section of the cemetery and, being a history lover, decided to walk over and take a look.

I could barely make out the decade of 1850 on several of the headstones, but most symbols had been too worn down by 150 years of Michigan weather, and were unreadable.

I'm sure that, had I been to this exact spot a century ago, people would have been visiting these very tombstones with the knowledge of the names and deeds of the people buried beneath.

How quickly we forget those who have gone before us.

Thanks to some recent genealogy research, I happened to know that one of these burial plots belonged to my great great great great great grandfather.

Without that research, I wouldn't know the names of my ancestry past my great grandparents. And I would venture that is true for most people.

We tend to forget not only the names of those who went before us, but also many of the lessons and truths that they wanted to pass down to us.

In the not too distant past, every woman knew how to sew her own clothes, forage for food in the woods, and ride side saddle. While some of that sounds kinda cool, I am so happy for the invention of stores like Target.

But it's not just certain names and skills that fail to get passed down through the generations. Old sayings and proverbs that once were repeated like a broken record such as, "a watched pot never boils" or "a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush" are nearly lost to history.

Though there are many good and new innovations that come with every generation (yay for indoor plumbing!), our generation shouldn't be so quick to dismiss all of the things that our ancestors knew to be true. "Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater" as the old timers liked to say.

History can teach us a lot.

Some things shouldn't be lost to time; great grandma's jello salad recipe or the skill of ironing a shirt.

But there is a difference between cultural/generational values, and bona fide truth. Truth never changes. It is not dependent on people's understanding or knowledge of it. Truth is concrete.

True things can't be lost to time...they are so foundational and solid that they will never change or become irrelevant; the laws of gravity, a 24-hour day, man's need for food etc. Just like those laws of nature will never go away, neither will the laws and truths of God's redemptive story and plan for mankind.

But in a world that so quickly forgets, sometimes we need to be reminded of God's truth.

In the Bible there is a story in 2 Chronicles about King Jehosophat, who realized that some of the most important truths had not been passed down for several generations in his country: the words of God to the Israelite people, His law.

Jehosophat's forefathers had not necessarily forgotten to keep the words of God, but rather rejected them for their generation... which then led to them being forgotten for several generations.

But Jehosophat's father Asa made the first move to bring back the truth that God had given to his forefathers.

2 Chronicles 15:3-5, 8, 12 says "For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach them, and without the law to instruct them. But whenever they were in trouble and they would turn to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought Him out they found him. During those dark times, it was not safe to travel. Problems troubled the people of every land... When Asa heard this message from Azariah the prophet, he took courage and removed all the detestable idols from the land of Judah and Benjamin...and he repaired the altar of the Lord...then they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul."

Several years later when Jehosophat became King, he recognized the power of God for the people. He took one step further than Asa, and made a point to teach the laws of God to the people directly...to remind them of the truth that their fathers once knew.

2 Chronicles 17:7-10 "In the third year of his reign Jehosophat sent his officials to teach in all the towns of Judah....he sent Levites with them, and the priests. They took copies of the Book of the Law of the Lord and travelled around through all the towns of Judah, teaching the people."

What's the point?

The truths about God that were so important for Kings Asa and Jehosophat are still relevant for our generation today.

But like the ancient Israelites, many Americans don't know the truths that are in the Bible. According to some research by Lifeway, "about half of Americans (53 percent) have read relatively little of the Bible. One in 10 has read none of it, while 13 percent have read a few sentences. Thirty percent say they have read several passages or stories."

Unlike the time period of ancient Israel, we have ready access to the Bible. We don't need to wait for a priest to visit our town and tell us what the Good Book says. In our modern world we have access at our fingertips. You can find the Bible on your phone, in every bookstore and library, every hotel room, and sitting on shelves in most homes.

And while the Bible hasn't been lost to time, a study done in 2021 reported that only 11 percent of Americans read the Bible daily, and most never read it at all.

This does not just refer to non-christians. Many Christians (myself often included) do not actually read the Bible or know the stories within it. And while it might not seem like a big deal, living without the truth of the Bible stunts growth and often leads to stagnant religion.

Jesus said He is the bread of life... so if you don't partake of his words, you are essentially becoming a spiritual anorexic.

The ramifications are evident everywhere. Just look at how many churches there are in every city, and yet how many people still live lives that feel empty.

Instead of filling our hunger with the bread of life, we try to fill it with cheap imitations that lead to more emptiness. What we choose to root ourselves in is what we will eventually become.

Fifty percent of marriages end in divorce. Sixty-nine percent of men and 40 percent of women regularly watch pornography. Two million Americans are opioid addicts. On average Americans spend two hours and twenty-four minutes on social media every day. The number of Americans on antidepressant medication is around 13.2 percent.

Of course you can be a Christian and struggle with these things. But God wants to offer you more than a life stuck in those ruts. His ancient truths apply to those struggles too.

We don't have to wonder what is true... even though our current society is very confused about many things (sexuality, gender, marriage, immigration, abortion, parenting etc). God's word holds the answer to our quest for wisdom in all these areas.

God wants you and me to be rooted in His words of truth so that we will become fruitful and full of the good life, fed by the Bread of Life so that we can be satisfied. He never intended for us to lead broken and confused lives.

Jesus said in John 10:10, " The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."

What Does That Look Like?

In John chapter 4, Jesus spoke to a woman who was drawing water at a well in the heat of the day because she did not want to face the other women of the village who would judge her for her sexually permissive lifestyle. She had been married to several husbands and was currently living with her boyfriend. She was weary from a life of trying to find love in all the wrong places. Though she had tried so hard to satisfy her longings, she was a barren desert within. But Jesus said, "I will give you water that will never run dry." He showed her that His love was not like that of all the other men. He satisfies and quenches thirsts of the soul.

He didn't want her to remain in the desert, barren place deep down. He wanted to flood her with a soaking of His unique, life-changing power and love. And when she accepted it, she ran to the village shouting with joy, excited to tell everyone (even the ones she was avoiding) about how Jesus had brought her a new life.

What About You?

Maybe you went to church with grandparents when you were a child, but never made that faith your own.

Maybe you were told "Jesus loves you" but never accepted it to be true.

Maybe you made a decision to follow Christ but then eventually chose to stop spending time reading the Bible or praying. Or perhaps you intend to read the Bible, but just never get around to it.

Maybe you think that the stories of the Bible are too antiquated and outdated to apply to your life today.

But truth never stops being true. It doesn't go away.

While the lives and tombs of people are eventually forgotten, the life and tomb of Jesus has never been and will never be. From the beginning of time, God has continued threading the truth of His Gospel message, the story of creation and redemption into every generation.

He will bring modern day Asa's and Jehosophat's to keep learning about and telling the next generations about the old truths that we need for our lives today. And my hope is that this blog will inspire you to be one of them!

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Old Truth:

The words of God are true and necessary for every generation, and will never be lost to time. They can deeply impact your life today if you take time to accept them.

How Does This Help You Today?

You have access to God's words, and they can transform your current life just as they transformed ancient Israel. Don't forget or reject the words of life. Take some time today to read or listen to the Bible App. Don't know where to start? Try the book of John to learn about Jesus. Read what he said to the woman at the well in John 4, and let it be a reminder of how Jesus can satisfy like no other.