|
The Devotional Diva - My Mouth. His Words
|
The Devotional Diva - My Mouth. His Words
By Barbara Gobbs
Executive Assistant and Ministry Partner - Pocket Full of Change Ministries
“The Lord said to him [Moses], “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.” Exodus 4:11-12(NAS95)
I love words. I have always loved words. However, words and I have had a love-hate relationship for most of my life. In my younger years, I never seemed to have the right words. My words were awkward and at times inadequate. Because I was a shy and fearful person, there were moments when I refused to use the words I knew. There were other instances where my words were ill timed. This caused me grief on several occasions. But I still love words.
I like words that I can pronounce and sometimes spell. I like words that I can understand. At times, I speak words privately and publicly. I even write with words, which is good because I am a terrible artist. Therefore, you can see that words are an important part of my life. What about you?
Words are very powerful, they can inflate or deflate, not that this is news to anyone. We are all familiar with the power of words. For grins and giggles, I googled “word power” and “the power of words” and came up with some interesting results.
I discovered seminars to teach you how to use words. There are people who want to sell books of healing words to quote if you are ill or injured. One site had a few examples, but I couldn’t pronounced them if my life depended on it - so not much help there! One guy even wanted to sell a book that taught how to unlock the real meaning of words so others wouldn’t manipulate you. Interesting concept, but I passed on that purchase.
Now the best source for word usage is the Bible. It’s clear and concise in regards to using words. In the book of James, James urges us to be quick to listen and slow to speak. I wonder how much of a damper that could put on text messaging?
What I want to pass on to you this morning is a true story illustrating the concept of using words. My friend and Bible study teacher, Kay, shared this one Sunday morning. She was repeating an event shared by a family member. Little did Kay know, it was about to become a “God hit me in the head with a brick” moment.
A family member of hers works as a speechwriter for an elected official. Of course, she is one of many, but it still sounds like a WOW job to me! Anyways the woman was relating to Kay that earlier that week she and other staff writers were permitted to stand in close proximity to this official as he gave his speech before a public audience.
Our witty-writer proclaimed to Kay that it was an incredible experience. Her excitement was summed up in one sentence, “He opened his mouth and my words came out!”
That’s when the brick fell on my head.
Moses didn’t have a love relationship with words, but that didn’t matter to God. God pretty much told him, “Just open your mouth and let My words come out!” Okay, Moses still whined at bit and got his brother Aaron as a partner in the up-coming word war with Pharaoh, but they saw the light and humbled themselves in obedience to God.
Not everyone has the ability to speak to and move the masses like Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King and Billy Graham. However, for most, God has indeed given us a voice and the ability to speak words. If we were the sum of our words, how would we measure up in the eyes of the world? Our friends? Our family?
I know, sometimes it is hard to get the right words out. Sometimes it’s hard to know what order to put them in. Words can be the source of our biggest problems or our brightest blessings. Are we obedient in using our words wisely and for the purposes of good (God) and not evil?
I hope today your desire parallels mine. My desire is to imagine God watching me from the windows of heaven, only to turn to the angels and proclaim, “Hey, she opened her mouth and MY words came out!”
Hoping to be wisely worded,
Barbara
Divinely Inspired Victoriously Active
Barbara Gobbs is a ministry partner with and the Executive Assistant of Pocket Full of Change Ministries. For more information, to schedule a speaker for an event, or to request a newsletter, go to www.pocketfullofchange.org or call Gail Golden, Publicist at 904 316-5462. This ministry is supported by donations. If this ministry helps you or others, and God calls you to help support this work, you can make a donation to Pocket Full of Change Ministry at POB 51205, Jacksonville Beach, Florida 32240.
© Pocket Full of Change Ministries
|
|