“In the last days, there will be many whose words and forms seem like godliness, but their lives are void of the power of true spirituality. Don’t have anything to do with them.” (2Tim.3:5). “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, instead expose them.” (Eph.5:11). “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness to light and light to darkness.” (Isa.5:20).
Lord Jesus, you know this tapestry of Scriptures I’ve chosen to meditate on and pray through today is born from actual, not theoretical, circumstances. I need your wisdom and courage, and I know I’m not alone.
As the distance between “religious speak” and true spirituality grows more and more obvious, blatant, and egregious in our culture—how are we to respond, Jesus? I know it must start with taking the log in our eyes more seriously than anyone else’s speck-infected eyes. So, show me the ways my thinking, speaking, and acting contradict the Gospel I treasure. Close the gap between my aspirational and actual godliness, Jesus. Secondly…
How do we honor you with friends who are making poor and dangerous choices? When is “giving a pass” not giving grace but enabling a fool? How do we confront friends in love, but firmly confront them?
How do we honor you when policies and practices of our company, community, or political party (Blue, Red, or Other) increasingly “call good evil, and evil good”? Convict us when our fear of man and hatred of “the other party” blind/numb us to darkness that needs to be exposed and repudiated.
How do those of us to whom you’ve given a planform steward the responsibility and privilege of being heard? When is our silence not niceness but compliance with evil? When does saying nothing speak volumes? How does our love of our reputation become greater than our love for you, Jesus? Forgive us, Help us, Lord. Have mercy on us all, Jesus. So Very Amen.
