Grace and Truth

The lake was deserted yesterday, so I was able to sing to the Lord while kayaking. Of course, I always could do that, but don't tend to do so out loud when people are around. I sang, "It is well with my soul," hoping that was true. I headed out against the wind. When braking from all the exhaustion and hard work, I rested without paddling in the tranquility and beauty of the lake. However, I was making no progress forward, and there was a distant shore I had not yet explored that I really wanted to reach.

While praising the glory of God's beautiful world, and paddling, I thought about a sermon I heard on the way to the lake. It was about grace, and how the world clamors for more grace (getting what we don't deserve from God.) However, we don't hear an uproar for truth. In fact, we often hear the opposite, claiming compassion, with comments like, "Stop judging," "Don't be critical," "I'm not perfect, no one is, so live and let live."

Yet, grace without truth is not transformative. Grace that leaves us foundering in ignorance and sin only cripples us further for any useful work for God. God's truth is often difficult and most of us cower from being exposed by His Holy spotlight. C.S. Lewis said: If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth, only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair.

I agree. Grace is needed when I feel hopeless, but truth moves me to action. Grace is the respite on the lake, where I rest my weary arms while the beauty of creation surrounds me. Truth is the necessity to paddle forward to the distant shore I yearn to reach. Lately, I have been changing my prayers from, "Lord, please do x, y, and z for me..." to "Lord, open my eyes to your eternal truth and perspective in this struggle that I may learn better to move forward with what you hope to teach me."
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John 14:6 

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 8:32 

And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 16:13 

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

Psalm 145:18 

The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

John 17:17 

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.