I’ve had non-believers challenge me when I speak about listening to God, wondering whether I’m hearing voices in my head. I explain that it’s not a voice I hear audibly, and it’s more in my heart than in my head, but I do listen for God’s guidance, and I do receive it. As with the disciples who trusted in God’s guidance as they found someone to replace Judas in their number - someone who had been with them from the start, who had heard Jesus’s voice throughout his time on earth.
We’re all influenced by far more voices than we imagine. Most of the time we don’t know why thoughts and ideas pop into our heads. We’re drawn into the stories of soap operas and advertisements, TV and radio and social media. We’re affected by all that we’re told about in the world, both good and bad.
In our gospel reading, Jesus was praying for his disciples before he was taken from them. He looked up to heaven and asked the Father to protect them from the evil one. “Sanctify them in the truth,” he said, “Your word is truth.” Jesus described the devil as a liar and the father of lies, who has no truth in him (John 8). Everything that’s evil is based on lies. Sin is harmful to us mentally and physically. We can too easily be led astray, deceived into putting money before love, or our own comforts and desires before those of other people, or believing that we’re worthless when we are, in fact, valued and loved by God the Father of all - so much so that we were given the gift of Jesus. In him is the truth, which is why he asked that the disciples be protected in his name. Jesus shows us God, in word and action. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
We’ve heard in our messages of the last few weeks how important it is that we remain attached to the vine that is Jesus, so that his vitality flows through us. Andrew reminded us on Thursday that the Ascension persuades us to stop looking back and to start to look forward, from today, to serve God by following the teaching and example of Jesus. This guidance is given to us directly into our hearts and minds as we pray, read the scriptures, and worship together. Jesus asked that we may be one, as he and the Father are one.
Paul recognised the struggle that we have in filtering out harmful influences. He told the people of the church: “We take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5), and “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8).
In his prayer, Jesus indicates that the truth will protect us, the truth of the God who is with us and in us. We need to hold on to that truth, to that voice of goodness which gives us peace and joy in our hearts. We need to listen to that still small voice of calm which often comes in the silence of prayer, through the words of the Bible, or through the Church. The word of God can and will overpower any negative thoughts that pop into our heads, wherever they came from. The carpet of God’s love can and will overcome all evil. Amen.
Julie Rubidge, Lay Minister