Moments of Quiet Truth

" For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,   the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings ."   Micah 6:6     I'm realizing that in my defense of doctrinal truth, as I understand it, I might in actuality be treating symptoms rather than the illness of insecurity. Am I so concerned that if I don't defend doctrine, that it will fall apart without me? What needs to be held to and what needs to be let go of? I have a strong sense of justice - a gift from above - but how do I feel about mercy? Forgiveness? Steadfast love in the face of rejection? of difference?      Being able to rightly handle the Word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15) is what I should strive for, but how well do I know the Author of that Word? I should always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in me (1 Peter 3:15), but what is my motive for doing so? Is it to prove my understanding correct? To prove that I'm right? To defend God? Do I need to defend the Lion of the tribe of Juda...

" Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him, the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.' This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them." John 10:1-6 "The voice of the LORD is over the waters;   the glory of God thunders,   the LORD, over many waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful;  the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;   the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon. He makes the Lebanon to skip like a calf,   and Sirion like ...

"Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, 'Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.' Jesus said to her, 'Your brother will rise again.' Martha said to him, ' I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day. ' Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? ' She said to him,' Yes, Lord: I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world. " John 11:17-27    ...