Speak Life!

Of late, I have found myself speaking aloud more while praying or reading the Bible.  In the past I have rarely done that when (physically) alone. Although I had heard people say to pray aloud, I could hear myself if I prayed silently and I surmised that God could hear me as well, so I didn’t really see the point and therefore didn’t subscribe to the practice.  Also, I had heard people say to read the Bible aloud so that you could hear yourself reading the words and thus build your faith (re: Romans 10:17, “faith comes by hearing”). There may have even been times when I encouraged others to do their Bible reading aloud based upon what I had heard, but as I had difficulty seeing what difference it made (to me or in me), I grew lax in that practice myself.  Unfortunately, even the purpose of practicing reading the Bible “out loud” - of practicing speaking the truth contained therein – was not enough to shake me from my comfortably lethargic habit of silence.      

Then God began to show me in His Word the importance of the gift of breath He has given, and the connection between life and breath:

Genesis 2:7 (NKJV)

⁷ And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Job 33:4 (NKJV)

⁴ The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

Psalm 104:29 (NKJV)

²⁹ You hide Your face, they are troubled; You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.

Isaiah 42:5 (NKJV)

⁵ Thus says God the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them out,
Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it,
And spirit to those who walk on it:

Acts 17:25 (NKJV)

²⁵ Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.

Contrary to the “sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me” ditty I was taught and repeated as a child, it seems to me now that there is also a sort of power or influence that may be harnessed and directed through an utterance utilizing breath.  Thus the importance of the things we say:

Proverbs 18:21 (NKJV)

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

 

Matthew 12:36 (NKJV)

But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

 

Luke 6:45 (NKJV)

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

 

James 3:3-12 (NKJV)

³ Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. ⁴ Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. ⁵ Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.

See how great a forest a little fire kindles! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. ⁷ For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. ⁸ But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

As if this were not all so wonderful enough, the tie-in with God’s Spirit through breath is what actually moved me to begin to speak aloud to God during prayer, and to read His Word aloud in speaking forth truth:

Joel 2:28-29 (NKJV)

²⁸ “And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
²⁹ And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

 

Ezekiel 37:4-10 (NKJV)

⁴ Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! ⁵ Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. ⁶ I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.”’”

⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. ⁸ Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.

⁹ Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”’” ¹⁰ So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.

 

John 6:63 (NKJV)

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

 

Before posting this blog entry, I happened across a story on the internet about the effects of a hate crime which had been fueled by rhetoric (http://nbclatino.com/2013/11/15/hunting-season-a-nuanced-portrait-of-a-town-shaken-by-a-deadly-hate-crime/) – another reminder of the impact of our words - words which can stir up, create, feed and advance either that which is positive and constructive, or that which is negative and destructive.

So, I think of the last verse of Psalm 150 in using our breath to use our words wisely - to praise the LORD!

Psalm 150 (NKJV)

 

Let All Things Praise the Lord

Praise the Lord!

Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!

² Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!

³ Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
⁴ Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
⁵ Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!

⁶ Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

 Praise the Lord!

… and my journey with my God continues …