September 05, 2023
Daily Devotion:
"His Word Is Truth"
John 17:17
New International Version
17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, hours before His arrest, Jesus prayed for the disciples: “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth” A little later, when questioned by Pilate, Jesus replied that He’d come into the world to testify to the truth. This prompted
Pilate’s philosophical question that people today still ask: “What is truth?”
The meaning of the word corresponds to what actually is, not what we feel or wish were true. We may avoid truth—or water it down or cover it up—because it can be uncomfortable to expose weakness or bring wrongdoing into the light.
Truth is so important it’s mentioned almost 200 times in Scripture. In fact, in chapters 17 and 18, which describe Jesus’ last hours before the crucifixion, the word is mentioned six times. Here’s why it matters so much: When truth loses its supreme position in our life, everything begins to crumble. But truth is more than factual or accurate information. It’s a way of living that removes barriers and sets people free to enjoy the abundant life Christ wants for us. (See John 10:10.) He is “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), and by following Him, we’ll discover the key to true peace and fulfillment.
