TITUS 1:1-2 – Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began.
THEME OF THE DAY. SINCE HE CANNOT LIE. The world is a difficult place and not getting better. Society is speeding down a path of irreversible destruction. Immorality is the norm. Deceit, manipulation, and betrayal are common practices in our government, and sadly, many relationships. Fear of very real dangers grip people daily. Despair, disappointment, and depression push people to either addictions to numb the pain, or worse, the taking of their lives. Our schools are battle zones and the war is lost. Families are under siege and dysfunction abounds. And the sins of our nation are many. Here is an illustration of what our world has become but also of the ray of hope that still exists.
An artist once drew a picture of a winter twilight. He sketched with great detail trees hung low heavily laden with snow. Then he added a solitary house; dreary-looking, lonely and desolate in the midst of the storm. It was a sad picture. One of gripping darkness producing a blanket of despair over all who would enter into this hopeless scene. But then the artist did something which changed everything. With a quick stroke of a yellow crayon, he put a light in one window. The effect was magical. The house shined with warmth and hope in contrast to the cold and hopeless-looking winter night. The entire scene was transformed into a vision of comfort, cheer, invitation, and hope.
Friends, the winter scene just described is our world and the beacon of light glowing in the window is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus. Yes, our world is a mess. Yes, we are not going to recover by man-centered, man-initiated solutions. No legislation will restrain sin. No education will change the human heart. There is only one answer, one hope, one solution, and that is the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ – the light of God shining in our darkness (John 1:1-5). And this answer, hope, and solution is certain, unfailing, and completely trustworthy. Why? Today’s scripture. God cannot lie. God cannot be unfaithful to His promises. This provides us with confidence in three directions . . .
Since God cannot lie, all things really do work for good. Romans 8:28 will work itself out in our world and our personal lives. When darkness is thick, let the truth that “all things work together for good to those who love God” burn away the gloom because the God who said this is true cannot lie.
Next, because God cannot lie, we will endure the trials and tribulations of this sinful world. We will not fall away. We will not give into the spirit of the age. Why? Because God is faithful. His Word promises us, “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen” (Jude 24-25). God’s hold on us is sure. He who started the work in us will complete the work in us (Philippians 1:6). He must. He cannot deny Himself and lie. Rest in His sovereign care. He won’t fail us.
Finally, we are never alone in the misery of this world because He promised “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). And He won’t because He cannot lie. Once God befriends us through new birth, He never “unfriends” us. Once we are adopted children of His, there is no abandonment or changing His mind because we might sometimes be “bad” children. Nope. He cannot lie. He cannot desert us. Ever.
Yes, what we see in the world isn’t good. Far from it. But we look beyond the seen to the world of the unseen knowing the God who controls all things and is faithful to His promises and warnings. He must be. He cannot lie. Rejoice in this life-stabilizing truth.
PRAYER: “Father, I praise You for Your faithfulness; a faithfulness that cannot fail or change.”
QUOTE: “Since God cannot lie His promises will be fulfilled and His warnings as well.”