Hunting for spiritual truth a lifelong task

Like many other Alaskans I spent time in the woods hunting this fall. Gerry Zellar and I hunted for a bull moose we could harvest to feed our families. I was in camp for eight days. Gerry set up camp at the beginning of September, so he was there longer. We looked, we called, and we hunted. But, while we saw a lot of other hunters we did not find a bull moose to harvest.

People spend time and effort hunting and searching for more than just moose. People want happiness, or adventure, or security, so they expend their lives and resources seeking these goals. Others work hard to achieve health. But one of the basic things for which people seek is truth. What is true, so that truth can guide my life? When we find truth we can also find direction, meaning, and purpose. Over the ages many have written on the great search for truth.

I would categorize this past Wednesday as an “adventure” in the search of God’s people for truth. I had two formal sessions scheduled with adults on that day. First we had “Lifelight” Bible Class at noon. We had a lively discussion about the search for truth as we considered the questions, “Why does Jesus say that we need to listen?” and “What does listening look like?” (Let me invite any of you to our Wednesday noon sharing of leftovers and the study of Luke.)

I also spent time with adults on Wednesday evening in worship. We looked at Hebrews 2:1-13 and considered some difficult questions. Specifically we talked about family, especially God’s family. Using God’s Word we were led to ask the difficult questions, “Are you ever not part of the family, especially God’s family?” The answer we found to that question in Hebrews 2 is that God goes to extremes to keep you in His family. God went to the extreme of sending His Son to “seek and to save the lost”, even to the point of suffering and dying for God’s “drifting” people.

But, the real questions on that day came when I was with young people and children. Wednesday Confirmation classes began this week at St. John. As we were working through our first two lessons in our textbooks a student raised their hand and asked, “Why do we HAVE TO believe?” Wow! Talk about the search for truth! I told this student that we don’t have to believe, but that what is true, is true. What we believe does not change reality. So, whether we choose to believe in God, or don’t choose to believe in God, God is real and God is true. So, I asked this student if they wanted to live as if the reality of God doesn’t actually exist, or if they wanted their life to reflect and deal with reality. Talk about deep discussion! It sort of put the discussion with the adults in the rear view mirror. By the way, this student later thanked me for considering their question and for my answer. This young person shared that they heard the answer they needed to hear. Thank you, Lord!

But, the toughest question of the day came from, of all people, a 4 year old! I read Bible stories to the preschool each month. So, at the beginning of their school year I read a story to one class entitled, “How God Made the World” from a children’s picture Bible. One young man was floored. “Wow! You mean God made the world?” “Yes”, I told this student, “and He made you and He made me too.” However, another 4-year-old was sitting in the reading circle listening to this conversation and He asked the question of the day. “So, if God made the world, who made God?” Out of the mouths of babes and 4-year-olds! I gave this young man a simple answer. “The Bible says God did not have a beginning. He is eternal. He always has been.” The young man was satisfied.

Some of these questions are questions we can seek to answer our whole lives. That is why people hunt and seek for the truth. If you want your life to reflect reality, if you want to live in such a way that you are finding real direction and meaning for your life and your efforts, I encourage you to seek for the truth. It is an adventure!

By the way, Jesus, the Son of God Himself, gives us clues on where to find truth. When speaking to the disciples near the end of His life Jesus responds to a question from Thomas with these words:“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” The truth of God is found in the sacrificial saving love of God in Jesus, THE ultimate truth of the universe.

And, where can we find that truth today? In His prayer for the church on the night of His betrayal, Jesus prays to His Father for His followers: “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”

We find the truth of Jesus in the Word of God. So, we continue to hunt and search.

Hunting moose is an adventure I truly enjoy. However, an even bigger adventure is discovering the truth of God in Jesus, and trying to live my life based on God’s truth. How about you?

Jonathan Rockey is pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer. Contact him at jonrock53@mtaonline.net

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