A Prayer to Trade Lies for Truth
By Meg Bucher
“They traded the truth about God for a lie.” – Romans 1:25a NLT
A weeping mess, fully believing all sorts of lies about herself, I held my sobbing daughter in my arms as I did when she skinned her knee as a toddler. To her, the sting of what she felt was equal to a bloody knee. The heartache poured out as we unraveled one lie at a time.
“You’re not fat… you’re fearfully and wonderfully made.”
“You’re not misplaced… you are here for such a time as this.”
“You don’t feel loved… but you are- I love you- God loves you …and you are never alone.”
Countering lies with the Truth God speaks over us is important. We are His precious creation. Scripture assures us His heart aches along with ours. Today’s verse in Paul’s letter to the Romans talks about trading the truth of God for a lie. In full context, this part of the letter states:
“Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.
So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.” Romans 1:22-25 NLT
The ‘they’ Paul refers to is revealed in verse 18: “But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.” (NLT)
It would be nice to point a finger at whomever “they” are in our lives, and shift the blame for the roots of the lies we believe onto them. But they …are us. We are all sinful, the difference is the sacrifice Christ Jesus made on the cross to redeem us, and our willingness to submit to His authority in our lives. Then, and only then, do we have the power through His Truth to dispute and disclaim the everyday lies we entertain.
Father,
Praise and glory to You for this day, and Your purpose for it. This is the day You have made. We choose, this day, to rejoice and be glad. Father, You are the One True, Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Abba, Yahweh; Jesus, Messiah; Spirit, Strengthener. Glory to You in the highest.
Let us not be people who trade truth for lies. We want to know You Father. Draw us close to You today, as we search for the truth You proclaim over our lives. The world has a lot to say about what it true, but only You have the authority to declare who we are. Father, help us to discern what is true, and what is a lie. Help us to see ourselves the way You see us; and to see others the way You see them, too. Allow us the strength and wisdom to refute lies in our own thoughts, and take them captive to the Truth of Your Word. Use us, Lord, to help others identify lies in their lives, and equip us to replace those lies with truths. Make us aware of who You are trying to draw near to You through our lives, Lord Jesus. Let Your presence fill us and guide us. We submit our agendas, and pray Your will over our lives.
Search our hearts for lies, Father, and replace them with Your Truth. Forgive us for our daily sins, and teach us how to repent and draw closer to You, Lord God. Restore us, and put a willing, focused, and repentant spirit in us. Expand our territory, Father, according to Your will. We lift our worries up to You, because You care for us. Calm our minds and our hearts with the Truth of who You are, God. Teach us more about Your character, and Your love for us. For You so loved the world You gave Your one and only Son, Christ Jesus, to save our lives. Let the truth of who You are, and who we are in Christ, reign true in our lives, disputing every lie which attempts to distract us.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
