Speak No More...

1 Chronicles 16:23-27 (NLT)
23"Let the whole earth sing to the LORD! Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. 24 Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. 25 Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods. 26 The gods of other nations are mere idols, but the LORD made the heavens! 27 Honor and majesty surround him; strength and joy fill his dwelling."

I've wrestled with something that's provided me with some growing motivation. In fact, it's a big part of the reason that I began to write here at all. It was something that came to me as a thought several years ago and it's continued to prompt me at times since. It's simple, but somewhat fearfully inspiring to me and it's this: What if I were suddenly silenced and had no more capacity to give voice to what the Lord has taught me through many years of discovery, hardship, correction, joy, grace and blessing - a wealth of grace and eternally profitable, to my own children or others I hold dear?

If I have the true heart of God, are there really any that He's made with loving intention that I would discount or abandon, with careless disregard for the value that my Father has placed on them? What if while I still had time, I'd failed to share the truth of what's most critically important, harvested from a life of more than half a century of learning about Him and the true purpose that we were given life... and they were made to suffer because of it? Will I bear a burden before that same Father on their account? There's no greater inheritance that I or any other parent or friend could possibly have to leave them - no greater legacy, than to have shared real life through Jesus with them. What if I could speak no more...

James 4:14 (NLT) "How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone."

What's been given to me and to any of us in true understanding of our God isn't our own to horde in selfish inaction. We're blessed to have received the grace to possess it, but we've received it with a responsibility and direction to share it - Not only with our voice, but by the more loudly convincing way that we speak through how we live. If what we speak with our mouths isn't evidenced to be true by the example that we live, how would anyone know in this day of commonly uselessly used words that we can be trusted? We're flawed and we'll likely make mistakes, but if we continually make the effort in humility to allow Christ to live and speak through us, they'll see Him - He stands out.

1 Peter 2:21-25 (NLT)
21 "For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. 22 He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. 23 He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. 24 He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. 25 Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls."

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (NLT) 16 "But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image."

If we claim that we've become one with Christ, isn't it His reputation that we're claiming to demonstrate as well as our own? And if this is our claim, is it Him in us that we're truly making the effort to demonstrate to the eyes and ears of those who witness our lives? Do we put Him on display before them by allowing ourselves to be transformed by His spirit, to demonstrate His character and spirit to them? To speak to them? Or are we acting out our own nature and placing Him in a position to walk behind us? If He's not leading as demonstrated by His character coming out through us - as it's shown and taught throughout scripture and revealed to us by the Holy Spirit... then it's possible that our own flawed nature is speaking untruthfully about Him to them because of what we're claiming.

 Luke 3:8 (NLT) "Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones."

A day may come when the thought of what we could have said with our lives as proof of our words, to those around us in the short time we were allowed to speak, may serve to break our hearts - A day when either they will cease to be able to hear, or our own lives here come to an end.

It'll be a day when I will hope with all that I am that I've said what was so very important to the lives that I love most dearly...

A day when I can speak no more...

Philippians 4:4-9 (NLT)
4 "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you."