Worshiping the Lord by NameНамуна

Words

Our words are powerful, so much so that Proverbs 18:21 ascribes the very power of life and death to them. Surely, they are an essential element of our worship - enabling us (quite literally) to call upon the name of the Lord. Yet our words do not always reflect our reverence, nor are they consistently leveraged to further the Kingdom of God here on Earth.

Far too often, even among Believers, blessings and curses flow from the same mouth (James 3:10). We quote Bible verses in one breath, then speak in contradiction to them the very next. We ask God to use us as peacemakers, only to lash out in anger when people don't live up to our expectations. We sing His praises in our Sunday morning worship, but so quickly forget that reverence in our Monday morning workplace.

When this occurs, it not only undermines our witness as individuals, it tarnishes the impression others have of our Christian faith. Be assured, for better or worse, our words do not escape God's notice (Matthew 12:36-37).

So what are we to do? Faithful followers of the Lord Jesus must understand that their words carry far more weight than the average person's. We are called - whether in the presence of fellow Believers or among the spiritually blind - to speak Life and Truth into this broken, dying world. Our words should serve to build others up, not tear them down (Ephesians 4:29) and should reflect the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. By this we make much of Jesus and fulfill His great command to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Prayer and Reflection: Our words, spoken in truth and love, are far more powerful than we realize - but, likewise, so is our silence. Many of us know the Word of God, but we are remiss to share it with others. Even if you aren't the most eloquent speaker or you consider yourself too socially awkward to ever be a mouthpiece for God Most High, that does not excuse you from the Great Commission! Pray that the Holy Spirit would grant you not only the opportunity to speak Truth and Life into those around you, but also the courage to do so.