Craig Clouston

Lying and Dying

You have not lied just to human beings but to God.

Acts 5:4

The doctors could not find the root cause of Euwan’s illness. About a year and a half ago he’d begun feeling ‘unhealthy’. “I don’t know,” he’d say, “I just don’t feel right. I feel…odd.”

As the days turned into weeks Euwan’s quest to find out what was wrong intensified. He went from his family practitioner to a specialist in viral diseases. But the weeks turned into months, and Euwan grew worse. At this point he was willing to try anything. So he went to a local church, and asked the pastor to pray for him.

Before he prayed, the pastor asked, “When you first noticed the symptoms, what was going on in your life?”

Euwan thought for a bit, and realized that the onset coincided with a business deal he’d brokered. Reluctantly, he told the pastor.

“Well,” the pastor said, “What kind of a deal did you make? Was it fair and beneficial for both sides?”

Instantly Euwan remembered what he’d said to the board members of the company they’d purchased. His own words came back like hammer blows to his heart: “Yes, we intend to keep all your employees…” But as soon as the merger had been completed, Euwan ordered a down-sizing. They had always intended to minimize the workforce to save their company money.

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Illnesses of this nature happen every day, but mostly aren’t attributed to their root cause. Lying has physiological consequences that can even lead to death. Euwan’s conscience wouldn’t allow him to deny what he’d done, and it had taken a huge toll on him.

When we lie there is only one option that will restore us, physically and spiritually: the truth. God already knows we lied, and is waiting to see what we’re going to do. What we fear most is disclosing the truth to those to whom we’ve lied, because we fear their wrath, but tell them we must.

Whether they forgive us or not, God will, and He is hopeful that we will repent.

What we do with our deceit is up to us.

Prayer

“Lord, if I have lied, help me make it right. Set me free from the bondage of deception, and help me to always speak the truth. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”