January 28, 2018

"But Moses said to the Lord, "Since I speak with faltering lips, why would Pharaoh listen to me?...You are to say everything I command you " Exodus 5: 30, 7:1

What a difference between talking to someone who is connected to God, and someone who doesn't know God. Before I became a Christian I used to evaluate someone's words by their level of education, social status, profession. Now I think about whether or not that particular person knows Jesus, and what effect their words have on me.

"For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks" Matthew 12:34. Many times, I found myself spiritually unwell, after reading a text message or simply chatting with someone. The commanding voice in a person's heart can empower their words. If the loudest voice in a person's life, is fear, worry, control, their words will have the same taste.  These idols can hide behind great speeches and well intended advises. "The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell."   James 3:6

It took me a long while to understand that while setting boundaries over my body and my possessions is important, it is equally important to protect my emotional and mental space. What voices, words, opinions, and affirmations do I allow in?  "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5

Faltering= speak in an hesitant or unsteady voice, or in a way that shows lack of confidence

God didn't care that Moses was not coherent in his speech. It's not the length of a speech or the manner of a speech that truly matters, but the source of the words.  In my own life, many times, a simple text message or a quick prayer from a Christ follower was able to change my entire emotional state. A voice that is connected to God and speaks what God commands, can lead an entire nation out of the slavery. Moses proves that to be true.

Lord, help us to stay connected to You, so our words, and our speech may be channels for Your plans and for Your vision. Lord, help us to understand that it's not our tone of voice, our accent, our coherence that matters, but the ability to connect with you and to speak You.