Today’s Reading: Small Catechism: Eighth Commandment

Daily Lectionary: Exodus 4:1-18; Mark 15:1-15

Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.'” (Exodus 4:1)

You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. (Small Catechism: Eighth Commandment)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. What happens when you tell the truth and people don’t believe you? You know what you said is true, but they just will not believe what you have said. Exodus 4 has a lot to say about truth and belief. God revealed His truth to Moses, but Moses was afraid that the people of Israel wouldn’t believe him when he told it to them. Not only was Moses entrusted with God’s truth, he thought it was up to him to get people to believe God’s truth. 

Do you ever feel like telling the truth is a lost cause? Like even if what you say is true, people won’t believe it and it won’t make a difference? Perhaps if you try to set a rumor straight, people would still want to believe the rumor instead of the true account, or if you try to tell others why they have misjudged a classmate or a friend, they won’t listen to you. What should you do then? One answer might be to not even try, and another response might be to try once and let it go. 

But that’s not how God treated Moses, nor is it how God wanted Moses to treat the people of Israel. Instead, God repeatedly told His truth to Moses, and gave Moses ways to repeatedly tell that truth to the people. The Lord gave Moses His own Name to declare to the people: YHWH, I am who I am. The Lord gave Moses three miracles. Then the Lord promised that Moses’ brother, Aaron, would come and he would do the talking. Again and again, the Lord put truth in Moses’ ears and in his mouth. 

The Lord puts truth in your ears and in your mouth, too. He has given you the living Word, Jesus Himself. When you doubt and disbelieve, even then your Savior is the way, the truth, and the life. Even then your Savior shows you something better than a miracle: His own death and resurrection for you. He brings you the forgiveness of your sins. That’s no false testimony. Jesus Christ is the truth for you! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

Lord Jesus Christ, You are the way, the truth, and the life. You put your truth in Moses’ ears and in his mouth. Place your truth and your presence in me that I would not disbelieve but believe Your wonderful promises and speak that truth to all those around me, through You, my Lord, as You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

-Rev. Peter Ill is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Duane Bamsch

Learn more about your favorite hymns and find the deeper meaning behind the text with Eternal Anthems: The Story Behind Your Favorite Hymns. The book includes devotional commentary and historical facts from forty different contributing authors on fifty different hymns. Now available from Concordia Publishing House.