January 20 - Mark My Words

 Read today’s texts first: Genesis 49 & 50; Psalms 8; Luke 20

MAXIMize YOUR DAY 

Let your words be true, and few!

 

So often in these devotions we notice the power of speech, both God’s and man’s.  Our reading in Psalm 8 reminds us of our place of authority over all other creatures on planet earth (6-8).  One of the characteristics we inherited from the God who created us in His image is the capacity for communication through words.  Because of our position of authority in the created order, these words can carry significant weight.  And as one whose ministries involve a lot of talking, I can see how easy it is to become careless with my words.

Jesus was so deliberate with His words, especially toward the end of His time when His enemies were looking for every chance to trip Him up.  In Luke 20, they tried on three separate occasions to get Him to say something inflammatory so they could have Him arrested.  They questioned the source of His authority, His opinion on paying taxes, and His views on eschatology.  I’m sure they had planned these questions for days and were convinced they were perfect – He was bound to incriminate Himself.  But Jesus had this uncanny ability to sift through words and uncover the thought behind them.  In each case He turned the question around and quickly stymied his interrogators - “and no one dared to ask Him any more questions” (30). (I wish I could have done that with my kids and my students sometimes!).

The last chapters of Genesis contain the “blessing of Jacob.”  I was amazed in checking out how each of his prophecies played out through the lives of his children and their descendants.  This simple prayer previews the history yet to unfold in the four remaining books of the Pentateuch and much of the twelve Historical Books to follow!

“Lord, may I become more deliberate with my words, in terms of my prayers, my teaching, and my blessings.  As I experienced the power of my own father’s last words to me from his hospital bed, may I be as thoughtful in the words I speak over others, especially my children and grandchildren.”