The Tongue that Never Stops!

 

Ec 5:1-3 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.

There’s nothing quite like a person whether a child or adult who just will not shut their mouths long enough for someone else to get a word in the conversation, especially on a road trip. Would you agree? You are stuck and the wagging tongue goes on and on and on. Oh me!

A dear Christian friend of mine came to me one Sunday after church seeking some help with a particular problem, and I asked her this question,“What has God already said about this problem?” 

She looked a little surprised when I asked her this and she tried to avoid the question by talking over me. Finally, I touched her arm and said,“Stop. What has God already said about it?”

“What do you mean? I don’t know what He has said. That is the reason I am asking you!”

“Sit down, and let’s find out what He has given us in His Word.”  I already knew what God had written about the matter, but I needed for her to see the convicting Words of the Lord or else there may not have been a transformation. Her heart needed to be changed, and I couldn’t do that, but God’s Word could.

“How did you know that, Sharon?” she asked. I just sat there staring at her and said, “Because I have already read that before today.”

Seeing that this dear lady, who appeared to know God and His Word, really didn’t, I had to back up and park for a few minutes. “Talk to me about your devotions, you know your time alone with God.”

With her head bowed, her eyes looked down at the floor and she quietly said, “I just don’t have time, Sharon, with work, the children, and my husband.”  I have seen that look a thousand times it seems from women who have time for everything else but God. Then, she said with a little gleam in her eyes, “I pray a lot.” 

“Oh, you can talk a lot to God, but you don’t have time for Him to talk. Is that right?”

We both began to laugh! Thank goodness she was not offended. “Talk to me about your day.” I said.

She did and we found 30 minutes in the morning before she began breakfast for the children. It was fun to see her help herself figure this out. At one time, she admitted, she did get up earlier and try to read someone else’s devotion but got discouraged in trying to do everything the writer instructed. “Why don’t you just begin by reading the Bible through, you know chapter by chapter?” I suggested.

“You mean the entire Bible!”

“No, just a couple of chapters or more a day and maybe in a year you could have the whole Bible read.”

“Oh, I never could do that! It is too hard and besides, I don’t understand the Old Testament,” she exclaimed.  “What part do you not understand?” I asked. “Well, all of it!”

“You’ve never read the Old Testament, have you?” She laughed again and said, “No, but I have looked at it and it seems too difficult.” We talked some more, and she began to see that she just needed to get started. She had listened to the devil long enough. It was time for her to quit giving him her ear.

I said, “You know, you’ve talked and talked to God but haven’t picked up His Words for Him to talk to you but you admitted to me tonight, that you have taken time to listen to the enemy and he has lied to you. It’s time to shut his mouth by the Words in this Book, the Bible, believing the truth and start living a life full of joy, peace and happiness. Don’t you think?”

If you study Psalm 119, you will find so many jewels that your life will shine with brightness as you take this journey with us. Ponder these thoughts, these Words of absolute truth if you truly want to know God better today than you did yesterday.

Psalm 119:

1.       11 - Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

2.       50 - This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.  

3.       97 - O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.

4.       103 - How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

5.       105 - Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.  

God desires to hear from us but He also yearns to be heard! Why not on this Road Trip to knowing God, take the time to close your mouth and listen to Him. Pick up the Book and say, “Good morning Lord. What are you going to say to me today? I am listening, Lord!” If you have a plan and are walking with God, maybe it is time to share it with someone. Ask God to place that person in your path. If you struggle in this area, and we all do at some time in our lives, then join me Monday for a simple but powerful plan that MAY JUST WORK FOR YOU.

- Sharon