Truth — Week 2 – Wednesday
TODAY’S VERSE
John 8:42-44a
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.” (ESV)
To start today, let’s do a little recap: the last couple of days, we’ve been exploring common traps that still persist today. On Monday, we saw the choice between resting in the freedom Jesus paid for and crawling back toward a performance-based mess. Yesterday, we looked at how inherited religious traditions can actually mask our reception of the Truth; our pedigree doesn’t automatically pave the way for an authentic connection with what Jesus wants to speak into our lives.
Now let’s take things a step further: today’s scripture shows us Jesus calling out people busy doing “God things” like praying, tithing, and going to the Temple. He says they’re doing the “will of their father the devil.” That’s a pretty staggering indictment of the very things that come to mind when we want to draw closer to Jesus, so what’s the deal?
The actions aren’t the problem; the motivation is. Looking back at yesterday’s scripture in John 8:37, Jesus said there was “no place” in their hearts for His Word. When we extend that to their behavior, we see that the condemnation doesn’t come from the specific religious actions, but from the intent. They were, as Scott said, fetching for the wrong father.
Behavior reveals something about identity. Think about how your "reflexes" shifted when your identity changed. Maybe when you graduated, became a spouse, or became a parent. For me, becoming a parent shifted some major identity cornerstones. Early on, my anxiety ramped up because I lost control over the things I found comfort in, like free time, easy date nights with Leah, or a full night's sleep.
But slowly, those immediate sacrifices of comfort have felt less forced. They’ve become a natural response to the love we have for Dean and our family. You can’t stay in the “pretending” stage for long; I wasn’t making changes to become a dad… I am one, and eventually, my actions began to reflect that new reality.
In the same way, we often try to "act right" so we can become children of God, but the Gospel flips that. We become children of God so that we can act right. If you find yourself "fetching" for things that lead to death, like anxiety, greed, or pride, the answer isn't just to "try harder" at religious activities. The answer is to check whose voice and truth you’re listening to. Identity precedes activity. When the Father changes your heart, your "will" and your "reflexes" follow.
APPLICATION
Let’s do an audit. When you were stressed, interrupted, or faced with a choice between your comfort and someone else’s, what was your natural “fetch”? What does that reveal about where your identity was coming from? Today, let’s ask the Father to shift our desires so that “God things” aren’t a forced sacrifice, but rather a natural response to His love.
PRAYER
Jesus, I want my life to be an authentic reflection of who I am in You. Thank You for the ways You’ve already begun to shift my heart. Help me to stop fetching for my own comfort or for the lies that Satan has convinced me of. Instead, help me to listen for Your voice.
