Daily devotion – False living in a fallen world.
False Living in a Fallen World
We live in a world of smoke, mirrors and, now, artificial intelligence. It can be difficult to sift through the news, both print and digital, trying to distinguish what is genuine from what is fake.
Sadly, many people’s lives are much the same. There is a façade of success, well-being and happiness, while beneath the surface there may be guilt, shame, loneliness, heartache, confusion and loss.
Our television screens are filled with famous people whose natural appearance has been cut, needled, stitched, altered and then photoshopped. “Influencers” abound with podcasts and social media accounts, seeking likes and followers to further their careers, while advertisers use their image to sell products—often with little concern for who that person really is behind the image.
But the cover-up doesn’t stop there.
Those living without Christ in this world can become caught up in identities, lifestyles and trends that are contrary to God’s Word, sometimes simply because they fear rejection, being cast aside or losing their place in a world that is dancing to the tune of the fairytale, “The Emperor’s New Clothes.”
But reality cannot be hidden forever.
We may try to cut it, stitch it, photoshop it, promote it or influence it, but eventually the mask comes off. It may happen when a loved one dies, when illness strikes, when our possessions disappear, when fame and fortune fail, or when we are finally confronted with the reality of our own mortality.
The Psalmist reminds us:
Psalm 104:29 — “Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.”
Death has a way of removing every façade.
Think of the thief dying beside Jesus on Calvary. There was no longer any image to maintain, no reputation to protect and no future career to build. He was a criminal, he was dying for his crimes, and his earthly life was coming to an end.
Yet in that moment of reality, he turned to Jesus.
Luke 23:42–43 — “And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
Praise God! Even when we have ignored Him for years, when we finally step away from the folly and emptiness of our pretend existence and acknowledge the truth about ourselves, Jesus is there to hear the cry of the repentant heart.
But tragically, many will refuse to surrender. They will continue hiding behind the façade, choosing the temporary appearance of this life rather than the eternal reality that awaits them.
One day every mask will come off.
Perhaps God is speaking to your heart today. Perhaps you have come to realise that the life you are living is empty—a façade covering a soul that is lost and in need of rescue.
Don’t run from that realisation. Run to Jesus.
Jesus Christ came into this fallen world—the true and living God—and He offers something this world can never manufacture, photoshop or imitate:
Real forgiveness.
Real hope.
Real peace.
And real life.
Jesus said:
John 10:10 — “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
The world may offer a false image of life, but Jesus offers the real thing.
Turn from the façade. Turn to Christ. He is real, His Word is true, and the life He offers is eternal.