God Can't Lie - His Word Is Always True

"Today's Devotion" For March 28, 2006

Read: Numbers 23:16-20; Hebrews 6:13-20

GOD CAN'T LIE - HIS WORD IS ALWAYS TRUE

"God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?" (Numbers 23:19)

Keeping our promises, following through on our word, and being considered truthful and "above board" are highly prized characteristics in society. Sadly, in reality, the evidence is greater that people aren't really good at follow through on word, keeping their promises, or telling the truth. Our news reports are replete, on almost a daily basis, with anecdotal evidence and statements by many people that many, if not all of our leaders, are not to be trusted. Depending on one's political beliefs and "take" on the world and national situations, who one might consider to be truthful, following through on their promises, and true to their word differs greatly.

Such has been the problem societies have faced since the Fall into Sin. Our sinful nature leads us to seek an advantage over others, so we make promises we either can't keep or don't intend to keep. We find ourselves telling people what they want to hear and are careful about how much information we share. We hedge our bets and use "weasel" words to keep ourselves from being "pinned down" as to the meaning of our words and our intent in speaking them. We're willing to point the finger at others, accusing them of falsehood and twisting the facts, all the time feeling "oh so smug" that we have the right "take" on the facts in question and no one should doubt our sincerity. To put it bluntly, what all this boils down to is that we human beings lie - we lie alot, even to ourselves. And we try to cover our lies, even to ourselves, by making excuses and pointing and accusing finger at others, as if our lies are their fault.

Thank God, that's not true of Him. He never lies. What He says is always the truth. He always follows through on His Word, and there's no greater evidence of that than the gift of salvation He has given us through faith in Jesus Christ. From the moment of the Fall into Sin in Eden, God made it clear that He would redeem His creation. His promise in Genesis 3:15, as He spoke to the serpent (Satan's instrument) - "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel" - was completed, through many steps in history, when Christ came to earth, took on human form, and, putting Himself under God's Law for us, obeyed it perfectly and then suffered the ignominious crucifixion as an innocent man. His resurrection is God's assurance that for all times and all place the sacrifice is complete, and all who believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior from Sin have their sins forgiven and will be saved for eternity with God.

In the face of a world full of prevarication, "weasel" words, and "hedging our bets," God's Word to us, His love for us, and His grace, mercy, peace, and forgiveness stand out as the only things we human beings can count on. God's nature doesn't allow for Him to lie - thus His promise is absolutely trustworthy and His oath (which He swore upon Himself) is an absolute confirmation of His promise (Hebrews 6:17-19). No matter what insecurities and uncertainties we face today and every day, we can be absolutely certain of God's promises and filled with hope in His assurance of His love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness in Christ Jesus. Such is the strength of all who believe His promises in Christ. It's a strength that can face any hardship, any uncertainty, any lie, and any broken promise. It is our peace and our hope.

Prayer: Father, as Balaam said to Balak, You "are not a man, that (You) should lie." I thank You with all my heart and soul that I can depend on Your Word and promises each and every day. You promise me my daily bread and You deliver every day. You promsie me the necessities of life and You provide them every day. You promise me salvation and the forgiveness of my sins, and You provide those gifts of Your grace to me in Jesus every day, renewing me daily in the power of my baptism into Christ. Help me to live a life of confident trust and faith in You. Help me to depend on Your promises and never grow faint in that trust. Let my life, in words and deeds, be a living testimony to Your truthfulness and Your promises kept in Jesus so that others might also have hope and come to know Your love in Christ; in whose precious name I pray. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright © 2006 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.