Thursdays – Dawn’s Devotions for Writers
“Then you will know the truth, and
the truth will set you free." (John 8:32 NIV)
True confession. Books aren’t my only love. I’m a huge fan of movies—and I like a multitude of genres. Remember the famous line from A Few Good Men? “You can’t handle the truth!”
The truth.
In searching for the truth, sometimes people search in the all the wrong places. Sometimes, they’re so hungry for answers, they’ll believe anything as “truth” without questioning it.
That’s what happened last weekend, when people around the world waited for the end of the world—whether that meant the rapture or the ultimate destruction of the planet. People accepted the prediction of one man as truth.
These types of predictions have occurred numerous times over the years. Sherrie Shepherd, one of the co-hosts for The View and a Christian, spoke about her past experience. Before becoming a Christian, she was a Jehovah’s Witness. At one point, accepting one of the predictions as truth, she stopped paying her bills and charged a considerable amount of stuff—believing she’d never have to pay it back. Of course in the end, her actions ruined her financially.
The one good thing that came out of this last prediction is that people started talking about God and the end times. It was relayed through newscasts and discussed on numerous talk shows. People blogged about it—myself included.
I’ve never seen the following verse written or verbally quoted more times than I did last week. "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:6 NIV).
My cousin’s daughter, who happened to see the link to my blog post on Facebook, started asking me questions about the end-of-the-world prediction. Married with three small children, she’s begun attending church regularly and is also teaching Sunday School, but feels she still has much to learn. She wondered what I believed. The blog post was helpful in opening up a discussion with her.
Isn’t that one of the reasons we write? To help open people’s minds and hearts to God’s love, grace, and forgiveness? To stimulate their hunger for the truth?
We have a huge responsibility as writers to not share our faith in a way that frightens people, but in a way that draws them into wanting to know God more—to love him more.
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
