As soon as I chose the title for today’s blog, I can’t get the Huey Lewis & the News song “That’s the Power of Love” song out of my head. It doesn’t relate to the topic, well, not really…but it’s catchy and you just can’t get those 80’s songs out of your brain!! Now that I’ve talked about the song, I can move on…you are now welcome that the song is now stuck in your brain! You’re welcome. 🙂
The Power of Words ~ more than we realize sometimes. With our words we can: heal, hurt, comfort, proclaim, defend, defy, build-up, gossip, love, hate, encourage, deny, etc. So much power that we have and so many times so little consideration of what comes out of our mouth. When I was a teenager, my mom would sometimes say to me, “Honey, just because you think of something, that doesn’t mean it needs to come out of your mouth.” And yes, I’ve used that on my own daughters’….good times! It’s true though isn’t it? When my girls were little and learning how to talk, oh how frustrating it could be for them. I could see the determination in their little faces trying desperately to explain something to me or ask me for something. When it was clear that I wasn’t getting it, I would say to them, “Can you show Mommy?” Or better yet, when they were having a fit about something, I would try to get their attention and tell them, “Use your words.” As an adult how many times have you said something and as the words are pouring out of your mouth (usually at a very rapid pace) you suddenly have an out of body experience and wish we could gather those words and take them back! I know I have…but you can’t take them back.
And I really can’t stand that silly adage of “Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me.” What? Whoever thought of that…ugh! Really?!? There are opportunities that we have every day to either build-up or tear down someone with the words we speak to them.
WORDS CAN ABSOLUTELY HURT!
I love how James 1:17 reminds us that, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” EVERY gift ~ not just some of them, but every single gift that comes from God, is GOOD! And what does satan want to do with everything that is good…he wants to turn into something vile and disgusting that brings death and defiance. So of course, because God’s Word is so good, the enemy uses words to ignite issues between churches, family members, and friends alike. The more satan can use words to harm, the more he thinks he has won. But he hasn’t. We allow him to creep in to our attitudes and develop pride about something, say things we can’t take back and then we are left with the mess to clean up…and satan is standing by laughing. The great news is that we don’t have to clean up the mess alone! God is there and His Word is there to guide us every step of the way back to unity in the Body of Christ, with our family and with our friends. The words, “I forgive you.” are some of the most powerful words in our vocabulary! Use them!!
The first words to be spoken, we read about in Genesis 1:3 “And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” God, our Heavenly Father, the Creator of the Universe, could have used ANY means to create this world we live in. He could have snapped His fingers, He could have just thought it into existence. But He chose to express with His Words what He wanted to create. He SPOKE creation into reality. In Genesis chapters 1 & 2, this phrase is used 12 times during the creation story. There are over 100 times throughout the rest of scripture that God spoke to His people about their life, their blessings they would recieve, or the discipline they would recieve because of their sin.
Take a moment to read this beautiful portion of the passage in Psalm 119:97-108,
“Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts. I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word. I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. I have suffered much; preserve my life, Lord, according to your word. Accept, Lord, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws.”
These are exquisite words that paint such a lovely picture of what it means to love God’s Word. King David of the Old Testament penned these words as they flowed from Holy Spirit inspiration, to teach all those going ahead of him of the magnitude importance it is to keep God’s laws (His Words) in our heart, in our mind, and on our tongues. When we learn and obey what God has told us, we will have peace in knowing we are living rightly before Him. There is no where in this passage (or any other part of the Bible for that matter) that promises us a perfect & easy life if just follow how God says to live. Nope. It ain’t in there. But He does promise us that He will never leave us nor forsake us, (Deuteronomy 31:6,8). His Words are true…His promises are true…His laws are true and they are good.
Another part I love from the Psalms passage is, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Did you catch that? It’s not 10,000 candle power search light that illumines our path. It is a lamp. A simple lamp with a simple light whose wattage is perfectly suited for the path that we are on. If we could see what was out 10 blocks in front of us, we wouldn’t need to depend too much on the light that was right in front of us. This analogy of the lamp shows us how we must be dependent on the Lord for every single step we take. This is not because God wants to be an overbearing, angry guide who doesn’t want us to be prepared for what is coming. He wants to lead us down the path He has carved out for us that will be most beneficial for us. Does that path always make sense? No, it does not. But it will all eventually be seen as a blessing and as an example of God’s faithfulness in our life. Sometimes when we feel like we are in a dark place, it is frankly because we have walked away from the protection of the Lord due to the unconfessed sin in our life. And sometimes that dark place is when God is covering us, to protect us from something far worse. In any case, we have to rely on the light of God’s Word to show us where to go.
Psalm 57:1 “Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.”
These words I have shared with you are not meant to bring about frustration ~ they truly are meant to be an encrouagement to you. Life isn’t easy and we don’t have all the answers. You may be going through circumstances that are extremely painful and confusing and you are wondering where God is in all of it. In those moments, and probably at a time when the last thing you really want to do is read your Bible or pray, that’s when you need Him the most. When you don’t have the words to speak the Father in pray, you don’t have to say a word because our Comforter, the Holy Spirit can go before the throne of God and intercede on our behalf. I have had several occasions in my life where there just weren’t any words that would come out of my mouth because the pain in my heart was just too great. From my own life I can tell you, that through those unspoken sobs that come up from your toes, God hears them and He understands them. If you are able to talk with someone about whatever it is that is going on in your life right now, please talk to them. Use your words to express your emotions. If you don’t have a confidante, pray and ask the Lord to help you find one and He will.
Words.
Spoken and silent.
Words carry Power.
Blessings,
René
Broken & Blessed~Adventures in Gratutide! 